PPT22 How are volunteers involved in palliative care and does this impact patient and unpaid caregiver wellbeing and service use? A systematic review

<h3>Background or Introduction</h3> Palliative and end of life care requires input from a range of specialities to address the physical, emotional, spiritual and social concerns of people living with serious life limiting illnesses and their unpaid caregivers. Internationally, volunteers play a range of roles in palliative care delivery, that are distinct from those provided by paid and unpaid caregivers. The contribution of volunteers is becoming increasingly relevant considering the internationally growing demand for palliative care support. This review explored the roles of volunteers in palliative care and their impact on the wellbeing, mental health, physical health, satisfaction with care, and service use of patients and unpaid caregivers. <h3>Method</h3> Systematic review and narrative synthesis. The following databases were searched from 2013 to July 2025: AMED, CINAHL, Embase, PsycINFO, HMIC, Web of Science, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, International Biography of Social Sciences, Cochrane Library. Searches were limited to English language. Critical appraisal was conducted using Joanna Briggs Institute Tools. <h3>Results</h3> Twenty-nine reports relating to 24 studies were included. Volunteering roles included peer support, befriending, information provision, arts-based interventions and practical support. Volunteering interventions positively impacted patients’ hedonic wellbeing, quality of life, and mental health. For eudaimonic wellbeing, quantitative data demonstrated mixed results, while qualitative studies suggested reductions in loneliness, increased community connections, and increased peer connections. For unpaid caregivers, there was limited quantitative evidence of an impact on wellbeing, but qualitative data indicated that interventions were beneficial in supporting advocacy and were well received. <h3>Conclusion(s)</h3> This review evidences an increase in research into palliative care volunteering. No evidence of harm was noted in relation to volunteering interventions for people with palliative care needs or unpaid caregivers. A range of outcome measures and methods are needed to capture the full range of impacts of palliative care volunteering.