People who need palliative care need to be empowered to drive some of the decision-making around their treatment, a major conference in Dublin heard.
Experts in palliative care from around the world are attending the two-day colloquium organised by the All-Ireland Institute of Hospice and Palliative Care (AIIHPC) and the World Health Organisation at Dublin Castle.
The aim is to develop improved care for people with serious and non-curable illness.
Delegates discussed how to implement a recent World Health Assembly resolution which calls on countries, including Ireland, to strengthen the integration of palliative care services into national health services.
Opening the conference, Minister for Health Leo Varadkar said the fact that so many more people were living for so much longer was "one of the great success stories of our age".
“But it also means that increased numbers of people in the community have chronic diseases or a life-limiting illness. This Government recognises that societies need to plan now in order to meet the future demand for palliative care. We will have to provide more and better palliative services in more settings to more people,” he said.
“Here in Ireland, we want to ensure that everyone has access to the type of palliative care that they need, regardless of their diagnosis, how old they are, or whether they are cared for in a hospice, an acute hospital, a nursing home or at home.”
In a session on the global approach to palliative care, Prof Luc Deliens told the delegates the “paternalistic” approach of health professionals to protecting patients from bad news was becoming less acceptable.
The event also heard the co-involvement of the health sector and the social sector in palliative care was important, because some care does not happen under the roof of a hospital or palliative care centre.
Dr Ed Kelley of the World Health Organisation said he colloquium would encourage implementation of the World Health Assembly resolution.
“Here in Dublin we have the opportunity to develop the language, aspirations and principles for the future of palliative care. At the heart of this is better outcomes and health for populations as a result of greater access to improving approaches to palliative care.”
Director of the AIIHPC Paddie Blaney spoke about a new information resource for patients, families and professionals.
The gateway, thepalliativehub.com, links to four separate websites dedicated to palliative care, including adult and public, children and young people, professional and academic, and a learning platform.
Ms Blaney saidit would be fully operational in the coming weeks.
The AIIHPC is an all-Ireland consortium of hospices, hospitals and universities. It receives the bulk of its funding from Atlantic Philanthropies, with some funding from other agencies.
Palliative care week runs from October 25th to 31st.