Enhancing Palliative Care for All
06/05/2015
The Southern Health and Social Care Trust has hosted a conference to help health and social care professionals enhance palliative care provision for all.
Palliative care is the active holistic care of people living with a progressive non-curative illness, for example advanced respiratory disease, cancer, chronic kidney disease, heart failure or dementia, with the focus being on achieving the best possible quality of life for them and their families. Around 100 health professionals from the Southern Trust area including General Practitioners, Hospital Doctors, Specialist Nurses, District Nurses, Allied Health Professionals and Social Workers, attended the event to learn more about providing palliative care, including; the importance of early identification of palliative care needs, supporting people to plan for their future care, developing advanced care plans and personalised care plans with people and spiritual care. The event also challenged health professionals to consider ethical, legal and professional issues that impact on providing palliative care.
Angela McVeigh, Director of Older People and Primary Care for the Southern Trust explains: “The palliative approach includes all aspects of the person – mind, body and spirit as part of a medical care plan and is very beneficial for anyone with a non-curable illness regardless of their age or condition. For the best outcomes, palliative care should begin as early as possible and is suitable for a number of years, not just the weeks and days at the end of life. It also includes support for family, friends and carers during the illness and afterwards.
“Our staff are dedicated to delivering palliative care with dignity and compassion and we are delighted that so many have attended this event to help ensure that they can provide the best possible quality of care for all those requiring it.”
Speakers at the event included representatives from the All Ireland Institute of Hospice and Palliative Care, Northern Ireland Hospice, Southern Area Hospice, Legal Services as well as Trust Staff. The event was video-recorded and all presentations can all be viewed again on the Southern Health and Social Care Trust’s Youtube Channel or click the links below:
Care of the Dying Patient
Legal and Professional Considerations
Let’s Talk About – Patient Experience Survey
What About Spiritual Care?
Ethical Issues
Palliative Care – Why Bother?
The Southern Trust provides a range of services for patients and families with Palliative and End of Life needs, for more information contact Aileen Mulligan, Palliative Care Service Improvement Lead Tel: 07766 607 852 Email: aileen.mulligan@southerntrust.hscni.net