Palliative care plan will benefit those in need

Published on Tuesday 7 October 2008 10:01

THE first national plan for palliative care, announced by Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon last week, aims to ensure that everyone in Scotland, whether they are being cared for at home, in a hospice, in hospital or in a care home has access to palliative care when they need it.

This is a fantastic aim and I am really pleased the Scottish Government is taking palliative care so seriously.

Medical advances mean far fewer people die suddenly or at an early age. It is sad but true that eventually all of our bodies wear out. That is why it is so important that when someone is dying they know they're going to get quality care whether they have cancer or another illness.

Marie Curie Cancer Care has been looking after patients in Scotland for the last 60 years and has developed a lot of expertise in end of life care. We are really keen to extend this expertise and care to patients with other illnesses. It is important as a first step that patients and health professionals recognise the point in someone's illness where hospital treatments are no longer doing what they are meant to do.

At that point our focus should switch towards helping someone understand the stage of their illness and controlling their symptoms, and concentrating on things that are important for the patient and their family.

It seems to me that the Scottish Government has identified some important things that we can do now by recognising when people need palliative care, making sure all of the doctors and nurses involved know what is going on and having a plan. It's great that there is a commitment to ensure sufficient availability of community care and home care to enable people to remain at home when they're dying if that's what they want to do.

The plan is a very positive step forward. Marie Curie Cancer Care is wholly committed to work with all of our colleagues in hospital, community and other hospices to ensure equity, quality and dignity. We can and should make end of life care better for everyone.

&#149 Dr David Oxenham is medical director of Marie Curie Cancer Care Hospice in Edinburgh.