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 […]
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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. […]
Mistrust as a risk? – Experiences of Canadian healthcare workers during COVID-19 in long term care facilities
By Marzieh Eghtesadi, MD Over the Easter long weekend in April 2020, I offered my support as a physician to help long term care (LTC) facilities, previously unknown to my practice, facing high mortality from Covid-19. Amongst risk factors previously reported about cross contamination, movement of health care personnel across various facilities was also prevalent […]
(Not) dying alone: recommendations from Italian Palliative Care during COVID-19 pandemic
By Matteo Moroni, Luigi Montanari, Ludovica De Panfilis, Loredana Buonaccorso & Silvia Tanzi Italy During the Coronavirus pandemic, the world of Palliative Care has faced a staggering change in how it communicates with patients, families and even health professionals. The implementation in the daily practice of pre-existing Internet-based devices (1) (together with the development […]
‘Whispers of some quiet conversations’- Palliative care after the pandemic
By Dr Ollie Minton Twitter: @drol007 The song Africa, by Toto, made me reflect on our strange times. It prompted me to write down some thoughts on where we are now, and where Covid-19 might lead us. For instance, the song text contains the words: “I know I must do what is right”. What is […]
Keeping your eye on the ball – A hospital deaths dashboard
By Dr Simon Tavabie – Palliative medicine registrar – Marie Curie Hospice Hampstead @SimonTavabie Football, I understand, is a popular pastime and I’m told that people are rather missing it at the moment due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I’ve been warned that, given my abject lack of understanding, I’m unlikely to be able to write […]