Background/aims: Admission to palliative care support often occurs after a long period of uncertainty and life schedule interruptions. Many carers are therefore financially disadvantaged, fatigued with navigating systems and isolated from community involvement. Our aim was to ask the carer’s what their priorities were and to adapt our service design to provide for and support their needs.

Methods: Participants were recruited utilising two data sets obtained from the electronic clinical record used by the service The carer needs survey was a combined online, in-print, telephone and in-person survey conducted by the project team

Results: Results were drawn from 104 bereaved carers that completed the survey tool. Although 25% of respondents identified that they wanted more assistance. Key areas of carer support that was required: 92% wanted to be more heard and consulted with respect to their concerns, 80% wanted more training in practical care 96% wanted more help to keep the person’s symptom’s manageable 86%grief and loss counselling 85% more understanding hoto adjust to the changing circumstances 89%information on Illness, process of dying, how to prepare for loss, Self-care The second group of participants, who were currently caring for a client on the service also identified 0% wanted more help to keep the person’s symptom’s manageable, 55% wanted overnight practical nursing/carer assistance in the home 68% wanted more understanding how to adjust to the changing circumstances

Conclusions: While the service receives such positive feedback from individuals receiving clinical care, this research identified that there is a significant need in the carer population that is not being met. There are opportunities for partnership and advocacy to support this in the future. The benefits of using this data to drive strategy, decisions and clinical practice.