Palliative care strategy open for consultation, targets home care

A proposed palliative care strategy aims to offer good end-of-life care at home through the use of multidisciplinary teams in the community.

The national strategy covering the period between 2023 and 2033 was unveiled on Thursday and is up for public consultation.

Health Minister Chris Fearne said the strategy adopts a three-pronged approach by focussing on palliative care in hospitals, in the community and the patient’s residence.

“A person who chooses to live the last phase of their life at home should not worry about receiving inferior palliative care to that given to patients recovering in hospital or at Hospice,” Fearne said.

The strategy also refers to the training of various healthcare professionals to be in a position to offer palliative care outside hospital wards.
The national strategy is open for consultation until 17 March, 2023 and the document can be accessed here.