Other Specialist Services - Palliative Care

• Continence Care
• Diabetic Care
• Health Promotion
• Infection Control
• Pain Management
• Palliative Care
• Respiratory Care
• Tissue Viability

Palliative Care is the continuing active total care of patients and their families, at a time when the medical expectation is no longer cure. Palliative care responds to physical, social, psychological and spiritual needs and extends to support in bereavement. The goal for Palliative Care is the highest possible quality of life for the patient and family

The specialist Palliative Care Service works alongside existing hospital teams in an advisory and supportive capacity

Services Offered

• Advice on pain and symptom management
• Advice and support to patients and their families/carers
• Advice and support to staff
• Liaison between hospitals, community carers and hospice
• Formal and informal education for patients, families/carers and staff

Who to refer

Palliative care is appropriate for patients with cancer and any other life-threatening illness such as motor neuron disease and COPD

Referral is important where there is:

• Difficult and distressing symptoms
• Rapidly progressing disease
• Psychological distress in the patient or family in relation to diagnosis, prognosis, or symptom management

When to refer

Early referral is essential
Active treatment or investigations should not be a reason to delay referral, especially where there is poor symptom control and distress
The patient does not need to be aware of diagnosis prior to referral

The Palliative care service works in collaboration with:

Dr. Sinead Donnelly: Palliative Medicine Consultant
Dr. Marian Conroy: Palliative Medicine Consultant
Milford Care Centre, Castletroy, Limerick
HSE West Oncology Unit, Mid Western Regional Hospital
General Practitioners in the community
Public Health Nurses