General Information
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
