Box 1.

Study characteristics.

Advance Care Planning; An Innovative Palliative Care Intervention to Improve Quality of Life in Cancer Patients – a Multi-Centre Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial (ACTION ISRCTN63110516) http://www.action-acp.eu Cluster randomised trial of an Advance Care Planning intervention in lung cancer and advanced colorectal cancer. Questionnaire-based study with patients and carers. Six nations: The Netherlands (lead), Belgium, Denmark, Italy, Slovenia and the United Kingdom

Palliative Care for Older People in Care and Nursing Homes in Europe (PACE ISRCTN14741671) http://www.eupace.eu/ Cluster randomised trial of the PACE Steps to Success Programme, a Palliative Care intervention for nursing homes. Seven nations: Belgium (lead), Finland, Italy, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Poland and the United Kingdom

Patient-Centred Palliative Care Pathways in Advanced Cancer and Chronic Disease InSup-C http://www.insup-c.eu/ Embedded case study examining the integration of palliative care in community-based patients with advanced cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and heart failure. Longitudinal interviews and questionnaires with patients, carers and healthcare staff. Five nations: The Netherlands (lead), Belgium, Germany, Hungary and the United Kingdom