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A night nursing service for
people with a non-malignant
illness
May 2015 For more information contact [email protected]
See: www.hospicefoundation.ie
Introduction: In 2006 a national night nursing service that enables people with cancer to die at home was extended to
people with a non-malignant illness. The Irish Hospice Foundations Nurses for Night Care service (NNC) is
outlined here in comparison to information available from Ireland and the United Kingdom (UK). This is
identified as a means of determining trends in access to specialist palliative care (SPC) by people with non
malignant illness in Ireland.
Methods: Information from the Irish Hospice Foundations NNC service along with Minimum Data Set (MDS)
information from Ireland and the National Council for Palliative Care in the UK were evaluated to determine,
trends, similarities and inconsistencies in data.
Findings: The chart to the left indicates the
number of people with and without
cancer that accessed SPC services
from 2011 to 2013 in Ireland and the
UK.
In both countries the number of
people with non malignant illness
accessing specialist palliative care
services is rising.
Across the 3 years Non-malignant
illnesses accounted for between 16
and 17% of those that accessed SPC
services in the UK and between 19
and 26% in Ireland.
The chart on the right indicates
Irish MDS non cancer data in
comparison to IHF NNC non
cancer data for 2013.
The demand on the IHF NNC
service is increasing year on year.
There is variance in both referrals
to SPC services and the IHF NNC
service in 2013.
Some LHO areas have higher
referral rates to SPC and to the
NNC service that is not consistent
with MDS information nor does it
follow trends in the UK.
Limitations: Population differences around Ireland would indicate variance in
utilisation of the service.
It is also possible that knowledge of the service is limited in some
areas which may be affecting use of the service.
Indications: • Not all people referred to SPC services require the NNC service.
• Awareness raising about the service is required.
• Appropriate use of the service should be exercised
• Comparison of data over a longer period of time is required to
identify more trends.
