Palliative Care



What is Palliative Care?

The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines palliative care as: "the total care of patients whose disease is not responsive to curative treatment. Control of pain, of other symptoms, and of psychological, social and spiritual problems is paramount. The goal of palliative care is the achievement of the best possible quality of life for patients and their families". *

Palliative care aims to:

• Affirm life and regard dying as a normal process
• Provide relief from pain and other distressing symptoms
• Integrate the psychological and spiritual aspects of patient care
• Offer a support system to help patients live as actively as possible until death
• Offer a support system to help the family cope during the patient’s illness and in their own bereavemen