Little is known about the cost of a palliative care approach in the UK, and there is an absence of robust activity and unit cost data. The aim of this paper was to explore different approaches for capturing activity and unit cost data. Ten papers were identified which met the study inclusion criteria. The majority of papers explored costs from a NHS perspective. Particular challenges were noted with capturing activity and cost data for hospice care. The authors were not able to provide an aggregate cost of palliative care in the UK and noted the costs of hospice care and informal care are often neglected in economic studies.
Gardiner, C. et al. 2018. What is the cost of palliative care in the UK? A systematic review. BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care. 8 250 - 254.
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