Palliative Care

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What is Palliative Care?

Palliative Care is care provided for people of all ages who have a life limiting illness, with little or no prospect of cure, and for whom the primary treatment goal is quality of life. The palliative care service provides the opportunity for people to be cared for in their own home, hospital or hospice in accordance with the patients' choice, where possible.

Referrals
Services Streams Available
Consultancy Service
Outpatient Clinic
Outreach Service
Day Hospice Program
Mercy Hospice Inpatient Unit
The Bereavement Support Program
Palliative Care Volunteers
Palliative Care Education & Research Programs
Donations & Bequests
Helpful Palliative Care Links

Referrals

How to be referred:
We encourage people to be cared for by their general practitioner in conjunction with our experienced palliative care staff.

It is the policy of the Department of Palliative Care that a patient must be referred by a medical officer.

How health professionals can refer:
Your GP or medical specialist can make the necessary referral by faxing 4921 1952 or by posting a referral to the Department of Palliative Care, Calvary Mater Newcastle, Locked Bag 7, Hunter Region Mail Centre, NSW 2310.

If the patient is in hospital, it is advisable to arrange a consultation prior to discharge so that the patient can be assessed in a timely manner. This is to ensure the continuity of palliative care for the patient and to make it easier for members of the health care team to communicate about all aspects of patient care. A referral form or letter is required from the referring doctor and can be made by telephone, followed by a faxed or posted referral Palliative Care Service - contact details as follows:

T: (02) 4921 1958

F: (02) 4921 1952

Mail to: Department of Palliative Care, Calvary Mater Newcastle, Locked Bag 7, Hunter Region Mail Centre, NSW 2310.

If an individual other than a doctor wishes to refer a patient to the program, then he/she is requested to discuss the matter with the patient’s doctor who then refers the patient.

The referral will then be forwarded to the appropriate service provider i.e Visiting Medical Officer (VMO), Staff Specialist or Clinical Nurse Consultant who will then visit the patient. An assessment will be carried out to determine if the patient is suitable for admission to the service.

If the patient is suitable and is referred to the Outreach Service, the nursing staff will attend a follow up visit according to the priority indicated by the VMO. This visit may not occur immediately , but will occur from 1-7 days from the assessment visit made by the VMO, depending on urgency. If the patient is assessed as not suitable for the Palliative Care Service, the VMO/Staff Specialist will contact the doctor who made the referral to discuss options.

Other Palliative Care Community Referral Services
Maitland/Dungog: (02) 4931 2003 & Fax (02) 4931 2005
Cessnock/Singleton: (02) 4931 2003 & Fax (02) 4931 2005
Port Stephens: (02) 4925 7990 & Fax (02) 4925 7950
Toronto/Morisset: (02) 4925 7990 & Fax (02) 4925 7950 Upper Hunter District (02) 6542 2050 & Fax (02) 6542 2005

Other palliative care services contact details can be found on the Palliative Care Australia website - see helpful websites further down this page.

Service Streams

The Palliative Care Service, offers an inter-disciplinary approach to patient care, which includes medical, nursing, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, social work, pharmacy, pastoral care, diversional therapy and volunteer care.

The following services are available:

Consultancy Service
Outpatient Clinic
Outreach Service
Day Hospice Program
Mercy Hospice Inpatient Unit
Bereavement Support Program
Volunteers

Consultancy Service

A palliative care consultancy service offers medical and nursing assessments, periodic review and suggestions for pain and symptom management for the patient. The responsibility for ongoing care remains with the primary health practitioner who may be the GP, medical specialist and/or community nurse, residential or hospital nursing staff.

The Consultancy Service will liaise with the relevant community and hospital health professionals and in particular with the patient’s general practitioner about the palliative care of the patient.

Patients may be seen in all facilities (both public or private), in their home as well as residential aged care facilities when located beyond the outreach service (more than a 20km radius from the Mercy Hospice).

Telephone advice is available to health professionals from any of the multi-disciplinary team by contacting the administrative officer on (02) 4921 1900.

Outpatient Clinic

Outpatient Clinics are conducted on a needs basis. Medical consultations are provided for advice regarding pain control and management of other symptoms.

Outreach Service

This is a 24 hour, seven day a week nursing and medical service which covers an approximate 20km radius from the Mercy Hospice, Waratah.

Day Hospice Program

The Day Hospice Life Enhancement Program provides support, communication and opportunities for participation in activities that contribute to meaning or quality in living. The service also provides respite and support for carers. The program also endeavours to address and meet patient goals through involvement in an activity-based program.

Attendance provides opportunities for patients to improve their quality of life through activities which foster the sharing of information, exploration of physical, social, spiritual and psychological issues in a creative and supportive environment. Carers also benefit from the program in the respite they receive as well as the additional support and education provided by staff.

Currently the program offers

The Day Hospice is a centre-based respite program at the Mercy Hospice.

Day Hospice in the home - a home based program.

The Wishes Program: In this way, patients are able to participate in the area which will best meet their needs and/or goals.

In this way, patients are able to participate in the area which will best meet their needs and /or goals. In order to meet both the individual and group goals, the program is flexible and varied and may include creative arts (pottery, painting, sculpting), support/discussion groups, gentle exercise, craft work (stamping, card making), relaxation (meditation, music, story-telling), massage, social and recreational (outings, games, quizzes), educational (back care, legal issues, fire safety), special individual projects (life journals, gifts, dinner parties for loved ones).

The aim of the programs include:

Creating an environment where patients and families feel supported by each other and by the staff
Increasing social contacts and interactions with people who may share similar issues or concerns
Providing creative, social and ‘every day’ activities
Providing therapies to maintain or promote a person’s independence and comfort
Providing practical and emotional support to assist patients and families in keeping patients at home.

If a patient is not already registered with the Palliative Care Service a medical referral is required.

For patients already registered with the service, referrals are made directly to the Day Hospice Co-ordinator who will conduct an assessment in the patient's or in the inpatient setting. Referrals may be made by general practitioners, specialists, other health care professionals, the patient or their family. If the referral is made by a person other than the patient's primary medical officer, the patient's primary medical officer must be informed of the referral.

For further information or to refer to the program please contact the Day Hospice Co-ordinators on 4921 1936.

Mercy Hospice Inpatient Unit

The Mercy Hospice was established in 1993 from funds raised by the Hunter community through the NBN Telethon fundraising initiative. The Hospice is located at Calvary Mater Newcastle and offers a 20 bed facility with large patient rooms which open onto courtyards.

Palliative Care provided in the Hospice offers a choice which affirms life and all it has to offer, as well as understanding that dying is a part of living.

The Bereavement Support Program

The Bereavement Support Program is available to all families and carers of patients registered with the Palliative Care Service and a carers support group is also available. Grief is a normal reaction to loss, and the depth and duration of the experience is different for everyone. To assist you or a family member at this difficult time we can offer you:

Someone to talk to about what you are experiencing
Counselling
Remembrance Service
Telephone Support
Information about what to expect during bereavement
Referral to another appropriate organisation

Talking to others can help you to understand more about what is happening to you. It can reassure you that what you are experiencing is normal and that you are not alone. Learning more about grief may also assist in helping you cope with your loss.

Contact one of the Bereavement Team who will be able to suggest some helpful reading. Some people may find it useful to discuss their reactions with a member of the team for reassurance. It is important to know that you will recover and that it will get better.

For further information please call 4921 1900 during office hours (9am – 4pm) and ask to speak to a member of the Bereavement Team.

Palliative Care Volunteers

Calvary Mater Newcastle has a long and proud history of Palliative Care volunteering. Volunteers come from a variety of backgrounds and bring with them a clear desire to support patients and their families. They bring with them a ready smile and a willingness to be involved. They respond at a very human level, whether it's sitting with someone who is restless, taping someone's life story, answering a busy phone, baking the world's best pikelets, taking the drinks trolley around each afternoon or calling the bereaved to say 'hello'.

What is a Palliative Care Volunteer?

Volunteers are an important part of the Palliative Care team and work in the inpatient, day hospice and bereavement services. A palliative care volunteer is someone who:

Has chosen to work in the area of palliative care
Brings a wealth of life experience to their work as a volunteer
Is a caring, learning and growing person
Has completed an extensive education program to help them understand the special needs of people who require palliative care
Has great respect for people with all their differences and life with all its challenges

Volunteers who choose to work in the Mercy Hospice are involved in all aspects of care. They can provide:

Companionship and support for patients, their families and carers
Relief for main carers for short periods of time
Bereavement support
Practical assistance
Support for staff
Special project support for both patients and the palliative care staff

How Will I Recognise a Palliative Care Volunteer?

Our volunteers will be wearing a round green badge that clearly states “VOLUNTEER” and their first name.

If you would like more information, please call (02) 4921 1374 (if your call is unanswered you can leave a message and someone will respond to your call promptly).

Palliative Care Education Programs

Palliative care education programs are offered to hospitals, aged care facilities, hostels, community groups, service clubs and the wider community. Also, palliative care clinical education programs are available and may be tailored to meet the specific requirements of your staff, be they nursing, medical allied health or volunteers. A certificate of attainment will be issued to all participants at the conclusion of each course.

For enquiries about how to register or to enquire about more specific programs please call:

Telephone: (02) 4921 1953
Fax: (02) 4921 1952
Email: bev.may@mater.health.nsw.gov.au

Palliative Care Research

The Department of Palliative Care conducts research and education into all aspects of caring for terminally ill patients.

Current research initiatives include:

Pain Management
Survival Studies
Health Information Management
Drug compatibility and stability in subcutaneous infusions
Oral care
Assessing the professional support of Hunter New England Palliative Care Service: Urban (Newcastle) general practitioners and community nurses perceptions and experiences

For over 20 years the Department of Palliative Care has been offering support to the people of the Hunter New England region and continues to seek funds to progress the following areas of research:

To support further innovative research in palliative care
To promote education programs in palliative care related fields for health professionals and the community
To tailor palliative care and education workshops about death & dying to suit specific needs

Your donation will help us to:

Further research into palliative care
Promote & provide education in palliative care for health professionals and the wide ranging community of the Hunter Valley
Develop and promote education on death and dying in primary and secondary schools
Enhance the awareness of palliative care to hospitals, aged care facilities and the broader community

Please see 'donations and bequests' if you would like to make a contribution to the Department of Palliative Care.

Helpful Palliative Care Links

Australia

USA

Other

The above are links to palliative care related websites. The content of those websites is for information only and may not necessarily be endorsed by Calvary Mater Newcastle's Department of Palliative Care.

Donations & Bequests

If you wish to make a donation or bequest, please call 4921 1954 or 4921 1374.