Incurable
Palliative care is introduced when an illness appears to be incurable. The carers focus not only on the physical complaints of patients but also pay attention  to the psychological and social problems of patients and their families. This is why palliative care is sometimes referred to as ‘total care’.

Easing pain
The aim of palliative care services is to reduce the symptom burden in seriously ill patients. Preventing or easing pain in a patient can be achieved by recognising the pain at an early stage of the disease.

Humanitarian
“Palliative care is humanitarian care to ease the suffering of terminal patients”, explains Dr Yvonne Engels, Scientific Coordinator of IMPACT. This EU-funded research project aims to improve the quality of palliative care to patients with cancer or dementia.

In practice
Dr Engels: “Our team has identified quality measures for palliative care. We will determine how to implement these quality indicators in clinical practice.”

Change
The researchers of IMPACT will identify which aspects of the structure of palliative care require change. A database will allow them to compare the structure of 40 care services in England, Germany, Italy, Norway and the Netherlands.
International collaboration is essential according to Dr Engels. “A strategy that is effective in the Netherlands may not be effective in England because of the different healthcare systems.”
 

Read more
Read more on this subject on the following websites:

• WHO Definition of Palliative Care.
• European Association of Palliative Care.
   

Films
Watch some of the 50 short films themed around pain control and end of life issues on Lifebeforedeath.com.