Palliative care is an essential component of the COVID-19 pandemic response. However, there has been limited examination of the impact on rehabilitation provided within palliative and end-of-life care services during COVID-19, or strategies to improve this during subsequent pandemic peaks. Rehabilitation within palliative care services provides function directed care that aims to support people maintain independence in activities of daily living and social participation. It includes coordinated multi-professional assessment and interventions. Allied health care professionals, most commonly physiotherapists and occupational therapists, are key members of the multi-professional team providing rehabilitation within UK palliative services but service provision was varied and ad hoc prior to the pandemic.
This CovPall Rehab Project explores innovative responses to the ongoing provision of rehabilitation within palliative care services during the pandemic to inform and improve ongoing service provision and resilience for future pandemics.