What
can a palliative care team offer to my patient?
Palliative care experts can work with you to develop a pain and
symptom management care plan which also deals with many non-medical
issues faced by your patient and their family/carers.
Which health professional can refer to palliative care?
Any health professional can refer to a palliative care
service.
When should I
refer to palliative care?
Palliative care should begin when a person needs it. This may be
at diagnosis of a terminal illness or at other times this may be
later in the course of the illness. Palliative care can be offered
to the person as part of their treatment choices and sometimes it
may be family or carers who require the support.
It is important to note that a person can receive palliative
care:
- no matter what age
- as an adjunct to ongoing treatment
- based on need rather than prognosis
- terminal care is but part of palliative care
Is
palliative care only for people with cancer?
No. Palliative care is available to people irrespective of
disease eg.end stage organ failure (e.g.. respiratory, cardiac,
renal, liver disease), neurological disease such as Motor Neurone
Disease, HIV/AIDS and end stage dementia.
How
long can a patient receive palliative care for?
There is no limit on how long a patient should receive
palliative care. However, as with all service requirements care
should be provided by the most appropriate service for the
requirements of the patient and family at the time. This may mean
that the persons General Practitioner or community health service
continues to be the principle health care provider and palliative
care services offer consultancy on a range of issues.
What is the role of the general practitioner following a referral
to a palliative care services?
Palliative care services provide advice and support to the
treating team. The General Practitioner is an essential part of
that team and is supported in his/her case management.
How
should I explain palliative care to my patient?
Each patient is different. It is important to get to know the
patient and build a supportive relationship with him/her. In cases
where this already exists, introducing palliative care may be
straightforward. When the patient and health professional have not
established a supportive relationship, timing should be
considered.
The
Clinical Practice Guidelines for Communicating Prognosis and
End-of- Life (2007) could assist you to discuss prognosis,
palliative care and other end-of-life issues.
There are specialist inpatient and community palliative services
in Victoria. These offer a mixture of direct care and consultancy
services. Contact a palliative
care service near you.
Who
are the members of the specialist palliative care team?
The composition of these teams vary across the state. They may
include Medical Palliative Care Specialists, Clinical Nurses
Consultants/Specialists, Loss and Grief Specialists, Allied Health
Specialists, Pastoral Care Specialists, Social Workers and trained
palliative care volunteers.
Is
the palliative care team available after business hours?
The majority of palliative care services have access to 24 hour
advice. Some have access to 24 hour care. Contact your local palliative care service. | 