Palliative and supportive care

Geoffrey Mitchell, David C. Currow

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

    1 Citation (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Supportive and palliative care services are integral to the provision of comprehensive cancer care (and no cancer service should call itself ‘comprehensive’ without a comprehensive supportive and palliative care team). All people diagnosed with cancer should have access to supportive care and the one in two people who will have their lives shortened as a result of cancer need to be able to access palliative care. The skill base, competencies and clinical evidence base for these disciplines is shared. Properly resourced and integrated supportive and palliative care services have been shown to deliver improved health outcomes without compromising life expectancy to: • people with cancer, • their caregivers (while in the role and subsequently), and • health services that are prepared to adequately invest in these services, with more efficient use of resources. In order to achieve these improved health outcomes, early identification of people who have more complex needs becomes a responsibility of each member of the clinical cancer care team. Systematic assessment of current and likely future needs is imperative to improve the patient-defined outcomes that are necessary to live well with cancer or to ensure that life goals are met if premature death will occur because of cancer.

    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationWhen Cancer Crosses Disciplines
    Subtitle of host publicationA Physician's Handbook
    PublisherImperial College Press
    Pages1099-1119
    Number of pages21
    ISBN (Electronic)9781848163652
    ISBN (Print)9781848163645
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2009

    Keywords

    • Needs assessment
    • Palliative care
    • Service planning
    • Supportive care
    • Terminal care

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