Rehabilitative palliative care - evidence to inform an all Ireland position paper

<p>This research report on rehabilitative palliative care (RPC) was initiated and commissioned by the All Ireland Institute of Hospice and Palliative Care (AIIHPC). AIIHPC is a leading organisation with national and international influence promoting excellence in palliative care. AIIHPC is a collaborative of hospices, health and social care organisations, charities and universities on the island of Ireland. Funding for the research and subsequent position paper was provided by the Health Service Executive (HSE) in the Republic of Ireland and the Public Health Agency (PHA) in Northern Ireland. The research was undertaken by the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, RCSI University of Health Sciences and Medicine. </p> <p>Rehabilitative palliative care (RPC) is a person-centred approach that integrates rehabilitation principles into the delivery of palliative and end-of-life care. It focuses on comfort, coping and adapting to loss of function, maintaining independence, and quality of life for people with life-limiting illnesses, enabling them to live as actively, well and meaningfully as possible. Supporting self-management and dignity are key principles. </p> <p>As health systems respond to ageing populations and the growing burden of chronic disease, there is increasing interest in how rehabilitative models can be embedded within palliative care pathways to address not only symptom management, but also empathy, participation, autonomy, and psychosocial well-being within a compassionate ethos of care. </p> <p>This report presents evidence- key findings from a seminar and workshop hosted by AIIHPC, stakeholder consultations and a scoping review of over 150 academic articles exploring the landscape of RPC. The review synthesizes the existing evidence base for RPC, highlights areas of innovation, and identifies gaps in research, service delivery, and policy. The findings outline the characteristics of the literature, and synthesises emerging themes related to interdisciplinary practice, patient and caregiver engagement, health equity, and system-level considerations. </p> <p>The report documents over six months of research into RPC. A three-part methodology was used to gather evidence and stakeholder insights, including: </p> <p>1) Seminar and interactive workshop hosted by the AIIHPC in Dublin in June 2025, brought together nearly 80 clinicians, researchers, policymakers, and service users. The event included keynote presentations, oral abstracts, panel discussions, and an interactive workshop designed to surface key themes and priorities for RPC development. Over 400 written comments were collected during the workshop to inform the position paper. </p> <p>2) Post-seminar discussion groups involving a series of six 1-hour discussion groups with 18 participants who had attended the seminar. These semi-structured discussions allowed deeper exploration of key issues, including stakeholder reflections on key issues, healthcare and policy considerations, and audience engagement strategies for the position paper. </p> <p>3) Scoping review of the literature using an established method and conducted using international databases and targeted journals to map existing evidence on RPC for adults (+18 years of age) with life-limiting illness. Over 150 peer-reviewed papers were reviewed, with inclusion criteria focused on studies published in English from 2015 to 2025. The review identified models, outcomes, service innovations, and gaps in the evidence base. </p> <p>Based on this evidence a position paper has been developed to stimulate further engagement and consultation across the island of Ireland, see “All Ireland Position Paper on Rehabilitative Palliative Care”. </p>