What is palliative care?
Palliative and end of life care is the active, holistic care of patients with advanced progressive illness. This is an integral part of the care delivered by all health and social care professionals, and indeed by families and carers, to those living with, and dying from any advanced, progressive and incurable conditions. Palliative and end of life care focuses on the person rather than the disease and aims to ensure quality of life for those living with an advanced noncurative condition.
A palliative care approach includes providing
- managing physical symptoms
- emotional, spiritual and psychological support
- social care, including support for personal care and everyday tasks
- support for those important to the person.
The Palliative Care in Partnership (PCiP) programme
The Palliative Care in Partnership (PCiP) programme was formed in Northern Ireland in September 2016. The key aim of the Palliative Care in Partnership programme is to provide regional direction so that everyone identified as likely to benefit from a palliative care approach, regardless of their condition:
- Is allocated a palliative care keyworker
- Has the opportunity to discuss and record their advance care planning decisions; and
- Is supported with appropriate generalist and specialist palliative care services to be cared for in their preferred place (whenever it is safe and appropriate to do so).
For information please go to the Palliative Care in Partnership (PCiP) website
Useful links
- Advance care planning is an on-going process of discussion between the person, those close to them and their health care professionals focusing on the person’s wishes and preferences for their care as the approach the end of their life.
- Your Life And Your Choices Plan Ahead Booklet .This booklet produced in partnership with Macmillan and the Public Health Agency contains information regarding planning ahead and considering end of life care preferences. The booklet has been endorsed by the PCiP programme board. Copies can also be ordered from Macmillan Cancer Support
- NEW PHA COVID Bereavement Resource
- Death And Grieving In A Care Home during COVID-19 Epidemic
Health Care Professionals – please go to NICaN SharePoint for Palliative Care resources for professionals