Needs assessment

BACKGROUND: There is a growing population of older patients with End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) managed without dialysis in Thailand, and services have yet to be developed to specifically respond to the needs of this group. As a consequence this population are likely to have unmet needs with respect to health care and suffer from symptoms that could be better managed.

OBJECTIVE: This qualitative study explored experiences and health care needs during the last year of life among older people with ESRD, managed without dialysis, from the perspective of bereaved carers.

There are an estimated half a million people in the UK who provide unpaid care for a relative or friend with a life-limiting or terminal illness at any one time. Every year thousands of people take on a caring role, whereas others find that this role has ended. This guide has been developed by an expert working group, and provides a framework for developing a carers’ assessment process. It offers advice on how to identify carers and gives an overview of the assessment methods currently used by palliative care providers.

This is the report of the third national survey of young carers who are being supported by specialist young carers projects across the UK. Throughout the report, where appropriate and for comparison, we refer to the two previous surveys conducted in 1995 and 1997 (Dearden and Becker, 1995, 1998). The 2004 Report is based on data collected from 87 projects concerning a total of 6,178 young carers – the largest survey of its kind. 

Background. Despite 30 years of research attention, discharge planning and district nurse (DN) referral remain problematic and few cancer-related publications exist. With shorter hospitalizations, discharged cancer patients and their carers may experience unmet needs for assessment, information and support. Although DN referral might enable patient/carer needs to be met, the DN role lacks clarity.

Aim. To investigate the needs of people with cancer, and their lay carers during discharge from hospital to home, and identify the role of DNs in meeting these needs.

A postal survey of forensic psychiatric facilities in England and Wales was undertaken to obtain information about the services provided for carers of in-patients within these services.

Forensic psychiatric services vary in the support and facilities provided for carers. Many do not comply with current legislation for carers. Most units informed carers of their rights to have an assessment, but only a minority provided facilities for carers from Black and minority ethnic backgrounds.

AIM: To develop an assessment tool for the collection of information on carers' needs and to pilot test same. BACKGROUND: No formal assessment of the needs of carers is undertaken by Public Health Nurses (PHNs) in the West of Ireland. METHOD: An assessment tool which took the form of a questionnaire was designed based on an earlier needs analysis, a literature review and qualitative data obtained with carers at two focus groups. Sixty carers were involved in the pilot study of the tool.

There are more than 1 million people in the UK looking after a family member or friend with cancer, but half the number of these carers do not receive support to care. Providing this care significantly affects cancer carers emotionally, physically, and financially. Community and district nurses have a vital role to play in reaching out to these hidden carers and signposting them to the correct support. This article provides tips on identifying carers, including who they are, the challenges they face, and how health professionals can approach and speak to them.

Dementia is a challenging, progressive set of conditions which present a large care burden to informal, familial carers. A complex array of health and social care services are needed to support people living with dementia. Drawing on the interlinked 'Duties to Care' and 'Dementia Talking' projects, in this article we focus on British carers' talk about health and social care services. We explore data from a mixed-method questionnaire (n = 185), four focus groups and eleven interviews with informal carers of people living with dementia using thematic discourse analysis.

Background : Carers of people with a severe mental illness often experience health and social problems themselves. In the UK, carers now have a statutory right to an assessment of their needs. Aim : to develop a brief instrument to identify and measure the experience of those caring for people with a severe mental illness across the range of domains that the carers themselves consider important. Method : potential domains were identified from published and 'grey' literature and refined through consultation with carers.