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 […]
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New Charter to support better life-long conversations about ‘What Matters Most’
News Experts from leading charities and health bodies in Wales and across the UK have launched a new charter to support better conversations between people and their loved ones on the topic of living at the end of our lives. It is hoped that this will encourage people to have open discussions, whatever stage they […]
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 […]
Lesson from the First Wave: Developing symptom control guidance for COVID-19 patients who are deteriorating despite non-invasive ventilation (NIV) as their ceiling of treatment
Dr Lowri Evans (Registrar in Palliative Medicine) , Dr Clea Atkinson (Consultant Palliative Medicine), Professor Anthony Byrne (Consultant Palliative Medicine) Cardiff and Vale University Health Board and Velindre University NHS Trust, Cardiff, UK In April 2020, the Palliative Care team at the University Hospital of Wales (UHW) were contacted by the respiratory unit, asking for […]
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 […]
End of life mouth care: the experiences of two dental professionals
By Professor Parmjit Singh and Miss Serpil Djemal The mouth is considered the most important organ of expression and it is often affected in the later stages of malignant terminal conditions.[1] As the disease advances, oral problems can cause great distress, pain and discomfort, interfering with appetite, taste, chewing, swallowing, nutrition, speech, social interactions, and […]
Crossed Communication Wires – A COVID-19 ward experience
Dr Ben Pyrke (Senior House Officer at University Hospital Llandough, Cardiff, UK), Dr Harriet White (Senior House Officer at University Hospital Llandough, Cardiff, UK), Dr Badr Abdalla(Clinical Fellow in Gastroenterology at University Hospital Llandough, UK), Dr Gwen Cartwright (Foundation Doctor Year 1 at University Hospital Llandough, Cardiff, UK) Pre-COVID-19 we relied on face-to-face consultations, […]
Advance Care Planning: A chance to be proactive not reactive
Rebecca A Brooks, Internal Medical Trainee, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Other Contributors: Helen Hayhoe Alistair J Mackett June 14, 2020 Whilst the benefits of advance care planning are being increasingly recognised [1], the current Covid-19 pandemic has emphasised the continued importance of a proactive rather than reactive approach to end-of-life care. In light of end-of-life care discussions around […]
Family visits to French palliative care settings during COVID-19
Cécile Barbaret1,2, Elise Perceau-Chambard3, Flora Tremellat-Faliere4, Pascale Vassal5, Louise Hannetel6, Raphael Alluin7, Stéphane Sanchez8 For sick individuals, their family, friends and loved-ones provide essential support. The role of family and friends often goes unrecognised within healthcare, with its constant technological, therapeutic and organisational challenges. Yet, they have a key role to play in palliative care. […]