Full bibliography

Study topic: This paper examines the role of general practitioners in palliative care and identifies tools, and system supports, including HealthPathways, that assist GPs to recognise needs and navigate referral pathways effectively.

 Study type: Narrative review and expert commentary drawing on published evidence, policy frameworks, and GP perspective studies.

 Key finds:

• HealthPathways was frequently cited by GPs as a useful source of information for identifying local palliative care services and referral pathways, based on a study of GP perspectives referenced in the paper.
• HealthPathways supports GPs by consolidating fragmented clinical guidelines and referral information into a single, accessible resource, addressing commonly reported barriers of time pressure and lack of service awareness.
• Access to tools such as HealthPathways is identified as enabling earlier identification of unmet palliative care needs, when used alongside decision support tools like SPICT and the “double surprise question”.
• The paper highlights that improving GP access to clear referral pathways (including via HealthPathways) is critical in addressing the finding that approximately 62% of people who would benefit from palliative care do not receive specialist services nationally.
• Use of structured decision support and referral resources is positioned as contributing to improved care coordination and continuity, outcomes associated in the wider evidence base with better patient experience, quality of life, and reduced health system costs.