RESOURCES

FOR MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS

Palliative care resources and training for medical professionals

Suggesting to a patient that they access palliative care is often regarded as a death sentence or ‘giving up hope’, but this is because palliative and hospice care is often poorly understood by medical professionals and the general public alike. Palliative care is comprehensive form of care (that encompasses physical, psychological, social and spiritual support) that is ideally provided to by an inter-disciplinary team of specialists who can work alongside you to support both the patient and their loved ones and it should ideally be accessed from the point of diagnosis with a life-threatening illness. Here is The Association of Palliative Care Centre’s Answers to Medical Professional’s Frequently Asked Questions About Palliative Care (download)

In order to determine whether you patient is eligible for pallitiave care this guide from PALPRAC many be useful: https://palprac.org/https-pfor-health-care-professionals-is-your-patient-eligible-for-palliative-care/is-your-patient-eligible-for-palliative-care/ 

Alignd can also assist you to access interdisciplinary support for yourself and your patients: https://alignd.co.za/palliative/#Providers

If you would like to learn more about palliative care, we recommend the following resources - 

Psychosocial palliative care course: https://apcc.org.za/certificate-course-in-palliative-nursing/