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Background: Recent guidelines from the Danish Health and Medicines Authority have led to a broader understanding of the target group and a change in understanding of when and at what point in progressive disease palliative care should be provided. Research has shown that the number of municipal institutions providing special palliative care programmes (‘KISPT’) has increased significantly in recent years. This may be seen as a response to the national guidelines on palliative care and to the challenges posed by daily practice within community palliative care services. The aim of this article is to describe the results of a study of KISPT, including programme characteristics and delivery of palliative care. Method: The research follows a mixed-method design combining quantitative questionnaires, mainly answered by directors of municipal health departments, directors of nursing homes and palliative care nurses, with qualitative interviews of representatives from ten of the institutions involved in the questionnaire component of the research. Results: The study found that 40 institutions in 34 municipalities in Denmark provide special palliative care programmes. In 2012-2013 alone, the number of such institutions increased by 43 per cent. The rationale for establishment of the programmes consists of a mixture of political, economic, geographical and professional factors. Most of the institutions have between one to ten beds and mostly house elderly people with life-threatening diseases. The palliative care programmes operate with a holistic perspective focusing on everyday life, activities and rehabilitation, as well as symptom management and end of life care. The professionals working in palliative care consist largely of social and health care workers, nursing assistants, nurses, occupational therapists and physiotherapists. Only nine institutions have a physician attached and only one third of the institutions in the survey offer training in palliative care. Conclusion: KISPTs are local palliative care programmes for people with life-threatening diseases, where they may encounter professionals with palliation as their principal task. The particular focus on everyday life and rehabilitation may be linked to the multiprofessional care delivery, but also to the fact that, in several instances, KISPT is provided as an integral component of care at a nursing home and/or rehabilitation institution. This may entail that KISPT palliative care involves, conceptually and in practice, the integration of palliation and rehabilitation.

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