Palliative and End of Life Care Network launched
TUESDAY, 31 OCTOBER, 2017
IMMEDIATE RELEASE. PHOTO ATTACHED L-R OF DR SUSAN WHYTE, JOINT CLINICAL LEAD FOR THE PALLIATIVE & END OF LIFE CARE MCN, JANICE PRESTON, HEAD OF SERVICES FOR MACMILLAN IN SCOTLAND, SHONA ROBISON, HEALTH SECRETARY, DEANS BUCHANAN, CONSULTANT IN PALLIATIVE MEDICINE AND JOINT CLINICAL LEAD FOR THE PALLIATIVE & END OF LIFE MCN, LESLEY MCLAY, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF NHS TAYSIDE
Palliative and End of Life Care Network launched
The Macmillan Tayside Palliative and End of Life Care Network was launched at an event in Dundee that demonstrated the breadth of work and interest in this area of life and death that affects everyone.
The launch event was attended by a wide range of professionals from health and social care in Tayside and Fife, the care home sector, chaplaincy workers, charitable organisations, education and research and government. Individuals who have received care from the Tayside Palliative Care Service and members of a public forum who contributed to the development of the network and its vision were also in attendance.
The vision is that the Network will work in partnership, with and for those who are facing serious illness, those who are near the end of life and those who are dying so that they have the care they need, when and where they need it.
As such, the Network brings together individuals and organisations who wish to see good end of life care and good palliative care accessible to all in Tayside – where and when it’s needed. When faced with the reality of deteriorating health, death and bereavement, people of all ages need many and varied things from their communities, their families, their friends, the NHS, social care services, charitable organisations and other formal services.
The Network will cross all settings, whether someone is living at home, in a hospice, in a care home, in a hospital ward, in A&E or in intensive care. It will relate to children’s and adult palliative care irrespective of age, stage, diagnosis or prognosis.
Deans Buchanan, Consultant in Palliative Medicine and Joint Clinical Lead for the Macmillan Tayside Palliative and End of Life Care Network said, “We were delighted to see such a great response to the invitation to this event and to join this network. Support has come from all areas in Tayside and from across Scotland.
“We are grateful to Macmillan and to the Scottish Government for providing support to enable the Network to take shape and we were delighted to enable those working in different settings and areas of Tayside to present the good work they do and the improvements they are striving to make.
“Thinking about serious illness and death can be difficult for us all, but recognising our shared mortality and common humanity is where good palliative and end of life care builds from. It is this recognition that brings us to a truly levelled place of partnership working. The Network has been established to provide a way of connecting those who wish to ensure all aspects of palliative and end of life care are accessible and of high quality. We hope to be ‘Partners in care: with you, for you.’”
Health Secretary Shona Robison, who gave the key note speech at the event said, “We are working to ensure that everyone in Scotland who would benefit from palliative and end of life care has access to it by 2021.
“The Macmillan Tayside Managed Care Network for Palliative and End of Life Care’s vision for a multiagency managed care network is an exciting and appropriate way to help develop and sustain the services and supports which are crucial to achieving our goal and will provide a helpful model to other health and social care partnerships.
“It will work across traditional health and social care boundaries to deliver improved person-centred care services, helping people to get the care and support that they need when they need it most.”
Head of Services for Macmillan in Scotland, Janice Preston said, “The development of the Network has been supported by Macmillan Cancer Support and Macmillan believes it is essential that anyone with an incurable or life-limiting illness is provided with good information, care and support allowing them and their families to plan ahead and make informed decisions.
“Facing an uncertain future can be incredibly difficult and people’s decisions around end of life are deeply personal to them. Everyone with a role in end of life care must work together and ensure people approaching the end of their life receive the highest quality of care and support and are able to die well.”
Contact:
Gaynyr Dickson,
NHS Tayside
Communications Department,
01382 740720
