What knowledge and skills are needed for community volunteers to take on a signposting role in community-based palliative care? A qualitative study.

Background: Community volunteers in palliative care (PC) have a unique position between healthcare professionals, community residents with care needs, and informal caregivers, offering complementary care and potentially playing a key signposting role. However, they need specific support in recognizing, describing, and communicating patient needs effectively, which can be transferred through training. The specific knowledge and skills required to take on this signposting role remain unclear. Aims: To explore (1) experiences of communication and information sharing between community volunteers and healthcare professionals and (2) the desired and required knowledge and skills volunteers need to recognize, describe, and communicate PC needs to healthcare professionals. Methods: A qualitative study design was used, conducting focus groups with community volunteers and healthcare professionals, and individual semi-structured interviews with community residents with PC needs and informal caregivers. Inductive thematic analysis was applied. Results: Seven focus groups with 15 community volunteers and 20 healthcare professionals, and 10 interviews with 6 community residents with care needs and 4 informal caregivers were conducted. Findings revealed limited contact between volunteers and professionals and a lack of mutual awareness of each other's involvement, with professionals often distrusting volunteers as communication and collaboration partners. Perceived hierarchy made volunteers hesitant to communicate with professionals. Communication was typically one-directional, with volunteers sharing patient information. There were no established procedures for communication and information sharing. To fulfill their signposting role, volunteers need knowledge of PC needs and community resources, and strong relational, communication, and observation skills. Conclusion: Volunteers need extensive skills to take on their signposting role. Training programs could boost volunteers' self-confidence by (1) increasing awareness and understanding of the community volunteer role and signposting function; (2) enhancing knowledge of PC, PC needs, and community services; (3) strengthening communication with resident's care needs, informal caregivers, and healthcare professionals. For the sake of patient care, it is important to improve communication, relationships, and collaboration between volunteers and professionals.