Health and care leaders have paid tribute to the impact that palliative care services are making in communities – and in people’s own homes.
An ‘exemplary’ partnership approach has come into sharp focus as a wider conversation is opened with the public on the future of care delivered to those living with and dying from any advanced, progressive or incurable condition.
As Lanarkshire’s palliative care strategy is revised, Claire Rae, head of health and social care for South Lanarkshire health and Social Care Partnership, explained why the current dialogue about a difficult issue is crucially important.
Claire Rae said: “We recognise that when the time comes, and where clinically possible, most people want to be in familiar surroundings in the company of their loved ones.
“We know from feedback received by our community teams, who are delivering palliative care in people’s homes, that the expertise and compassion that allows that to happen is hugely valued.
“The phenomenal support hospices in Lanarkshire provide is also greatly recognised and valued by our communities.
“Revising our palliative care strategy is about ensuring we continue and build on these standards in a sustainable manner that keeps the person at the centre of everything we do.”
Palliative care focuses on the person – not the disease – and applies a rounded approach to meeting the physical, practical, functional, social, emotional and spiritual needs of patients and carers.
Palliative care is not just about care in the last months, days and hours of a person’s life, but ensuring quality of life for both patients and families at every stage of the disease process, from diagnosis onwards.
Claire added: “The focus is very much on people and we want to capture the views of the wider population and, in particular, those have been affected by this issue.”
Lesley Thomson, nurse director of South Lanarkshire Health and Social Care Partnership said: “I regularly hear praise about the profound difference our palliative care and community teams, including our specialist and community nurses, are making to both the lives of those affected by an incurable condition and their families.
“There is a well-established tradition of partnership working – which involves all elements of the health and care system – offering palliative and end of life care with compassion. There is so much to be proud of and we are keen to build on this in close partnership with the communities we serve.”
To get involved, you can take part in the survey by visiting http://ow.ly/TgIT50OjgfZ
The survey will close at noon on Friday 23 June.
If you need the survey in a different format contact Mairi.Crawford@lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk or call 01698 453844.
The dialogue on palliative care is part of the wider engagement on NHS Lanarkshire’s new healthcare strategy ‘Our Health Together’.
Now is the time for everyone in Lanarkshire, residents and staff, to play a major role in shaping services for the future and to be involved in discussions about:
⦁ Factors that affect people’s health and wellbeing;
⦁ ways in which NHS Lanarkshire can support local people to stay well;
⦁ access to NHS Lanarkshire services
⦁ the role of digital developments in healthcare.
⦁ the role of digital developments in healthcare.
You can find out more about Our Health Together and out how to get involved using the following link: https://www.nhslanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk/our-health-together/
