Table 2 Protocol for recruitment and intervention delivery

1.

Identification of eligible participants by hospice team.

2.

Clinical teams to introduce study during routine visit to hospice/day service within 2 weeks of referral into service: information sheet provided and consent given to pass contact details to research team.

3.

Consent form returned to either clinical team or posted directly to research team. If returned to clinical team, to be posted to research team.

4.

Researcher has weekly contact with each clinical team and ensures maintenance of consent log each site. Maintains corresponding participant database.

5.

When consent form received by researcher, researcher makes contact with participant to:

• Provide opportunity for further questions

• Establish time frame for intervention delivery and

• Arrange intervention sessions with psychotherapist for relevant site.

Copy of consent form sent to clinical team to be placed in patient medical record.

6.

Researcher maintains log of sessions for therapist.

7.

Intervention session 1 (45–60 min) covering the assessment and engagement components, completion of baseline assessments, and preparing the participant to undertake the daily diary recordings. One week completion of baseline daily diary recordings.

8.

After 1 week completion of daily diaries (baseline), intervention session 2 (30–45 min) and completion of weekly questionnaires (15 min). Daily diary data collection continues.

9.

Intervention session 3 (30–45 min) and completion of weekly questionnaires (15 min). Daily diary data collection continues.

10.

Intervention session 4 (30–45 min) and completion of weekly questionnaires (15 min). Daily diary data collection continues.

11.

Intervention session 5 (follow-up session) approximately 4 weeks later (30–45 min) and completion of weekly questionnaires (15 min). Information sheet and consent form given for interview. Daily diary data collection end with this session providing 9 weeks of data in total.

12.

Interview consent form received by research team. Copy provided to clinical team for patient medical record.

13.

Interview conducted by telephone 2 weeks after the end of the intervention (30 min).