Health and care pathways in the last year of life from non-sudden causes between 2014 and 2023 in Wales: A population-scale retrospective cohort study

The research quantified the uptake of health and care services in the last year of life before death from non-sudden causes by palliative care registration. The analyses included 267,199 individuals. 74,045 individuals were registered for palliative care, under-represented groups included men, most-deprived and living alone. Most time was spent in non-care homes, with 90·3% of emergency admissions from non-care homes. 

There was a 23% increased transition rate of emergency admissions from non-care homes for palliative care registered individuals compared to unregistered, with a decreased expected length of stay. Emergency admissions from care homes with and without nursing were lower for palliative care registered individuals compared to unregistered, with an increased rate of discharge from hospital.

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