Findings may relate to underuse, overuse, or even misuse, say researchers There’s a 7-fold unexplained variation in rates of euthanasia across The Netherlands, reveals an analysis of health insurance claims data, published online in the journal BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care. It’s not clear if these differences relate to underuse, overuse, or even misuse, say […]
Category: Uncategorized
Slipping Through the NET
A blog by patient Sally Jenkins, Cardiff, UK Palliative versus end of life care, we all know they’re not the same, but even so, they’re often used synonymously. Nowhere is the need to distinguish between them more pressing than in the management of neuroendocrine cancers, known as NeuroEndocrine Tumours, or ‘NETs’. Arising from unusual neuroendocrine […]
The Development and Implementation of a National Covid-19 Hospital Guideline for Wales
Authors: Rhys Jeffries; Simon Barry; Laura Wallis; Chris Davies and Mark Taubert on behalf of the Respiratory Health Implementation Group Wales, the Institute of Clinical Science and Technology and the NHS Wales Health Collaborative, Cardiff, UK Guideline website: https://covid-19hospitalguideline.wales.nhs.uk/ Introduction: It became evident in early March 2020 that clinical practice in managing COVID-19 varied markedly […]
The Nordic walking experiences of a neurologist with Parkinsonism
by Professor Anica Jusic, Zagreb, Croatia Professor Anica Jusic is a retired neurologist in Zagreb, Croatia, and became aware of the need for further care for her patients – particularly those with progressive neurological disease, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. She attended the first International Symposium on ALS/MND in 1990 and she became aware of […]
Quality Improvement Initiative: Improving Weekend Written Handover for On-call Palliative Care Teams in the Hospital Setting
By Dr Noreen O’Shea, Department of Palliative Medicine, University Hospital Waterford, Dunmore Road, Waterford, Ireland Dr Denise Hayes, Department of Palliative Medicine, University Hospital Waterford, Dunmore Road, Waterford, Ireland Dr Emmet Walls, Department of Palliative Medicine, University Hospital Waterford, Dunmore Road, Waterford, Ireland Background: Patients of the Palliative Care service, requiring weekend review, have […]
TOO NEAR BUT SO FAR
By Anna Perry Anna Perry was previously a GP partner and is now a speciality doctor on the inpatient unit at the Marie Curie West Midlands hospice. She writes about her thoughts on the discomfort of being distanced from patients and families by Covid whilst being a bridge to their private moments. . During lockdown […]
Improving Palliative Care Through Digital Health Technology
Dr Amara Callistus Nwosu Lancaster University Faculty of Health and Medicine International Observatory on End of Life Care It is essential for society to use technology better to improve palliative care. The need for palliative care is expected to increase globally due to a number of socioeconomic factors, consequently it is important to explore opportunities […]
Part 2: Perspectives on dying from COVID-19: The rising tide
Part two in this exploration of themes from frontline palliative care staff during the pandemic Authors: Dr Simon Tavabie, Dr Katie Ball & Dr Rory Carrigan; Marie Curie Hospice Hampstead In the time following our previous blog post, the news reports of escalating numbers of people dying from the virus, inadequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) […]
Perspectives on dying from COVID-19: Waiting for the storm
Authors: Dr Simon Tavabie & Dr Katie Ball Marie Curie Hospice Hampstead Today we find ourselves in the middle of a pandemic. COVID-19 has swept across the globe with thousands dead, more seriously unwell, and a sense of anxiety and uncertainty within healthcare professions that is unlike anything we have seen. As the course […]
The Plague revisited
By Dr Mark Taubert, Consultant in Palliative Medicine, Velindre NHS Trust, Cardiff @DrMarkTaubert “I have no idea what’s awaiting me, or what will happen when this all ends. “I know that man is capable of great deeds. “But, you know, I feel more fellowship with the defeated than with saints”- Albert Camus I read The […]