NLIS 3
November 19, 2004
(Health and Community Services)
 

Palliative care pilot project set to begin

Minister of Health and Community Services John Ottenheimer today confirmed that the Palliative Care Pilot Project announced earlier this fall is set to begin and will conclude its findings in April 2005. 

The Victorian Order of Nurses (VON), Health and Community Services Western, and Western Health Care Corporation will partner with government to lead the $120,000 pilot to establish the needs and costs associated with the implementation of a provincial palliative home care model. 

"Our terminally ill residents deserve compassionate care at a time when needed most to improve their quality of living, preserve dignity in dying and to reduce the pressure and burden on family caregivers," said Minister Ottenheimer. "Through this investment, we hope to gain a better understanding of the needs of caregivers and patients in providing quality, palliative care." 

The First Ministers� Meeting Health Accord, signed in September, identified palliative home care as one of the three home care priorities and first ministers agreed to develop a plan for the staged implementation of home care services. 

The pilot will further this work and some of the project terms of reference include:

• Conduct a learning needs assessment of home support workers specializing in palliative care in urban and rural communities;
• Review and update current home support palliative teaching modules to meet the needs of home support workers;
• Pilot and evaluate a revised teaching module;
• Determine the associated cost of delivering a provincial palliative home care program;
• Prepare a final report defining the components and associated costs of a provincial palliative care program in keeping with the FMM funding.

"The Palliative Care Pilot Project provides an exciting opportunity to further develop the goals of the End of Life Program within Health and Community Services Western. It will enable individuals and families to have quality, comprehensive palliative care at this difficult time in their lives," said Susan Gillam, chief executive officer of Health and Community Services Western.

The western region is an appropriate location for this project given the existing palliative care unit at Western Memorial Regional Hospital that provides comprehensive in-patient care and community support to individuals in the surrounding area. The project also builds on the work of the established Performance Improvement Team for Palliative Care that engages representatives from the VON, HCS Western, Western Memorial Regional Hospital and the End of Life Palliative Care Program within Health and Community Services Western.

"I'm pleased that the good work currently underway in the Western Region has been recognized and that we can continue to build on these efforts provincially," said Tom Marshall, MHA Humber East. "The well established relationship of the project partners will be an immediate asset to the project and its outcomes."

"VON is pleased to participate in this important pilot project. Currently our branch is the only home support agency in the province with the Private Training Institute (PTI) designation and we recognise the need for appropriate training in palliative care," said Eileen Pitcher, executive director of VON. "Our organization has demonstrated a long-term commitment to palliative care services by ensuring home support staff complete the required palliative care curriculum. This training assists with the delivery of a 'quality' service to our clients and their families, and in addition adequately prepares and supports our staff in the provision of such vital care. VON appreciates the opportunity to partner in such a worthwhile endeavour."

The project will be funded through the existing budget of the Department of Health and Community Services. 

Media contact: Carolyn Chaplin, Health and Community Services, (709) 729-1377, 682-5093

2004 11 19                                              9:40 a.m.