The aim of Palliative Care is to improve the quality of life for patients and their families faced with advanced progressive life-limiting illnesses, through the prevention and relief of suffering and the provision of total active care for physical, psychological and spiritual problems.
Doctors and nurses from the Palliative Care Service provides expert and compassionate care with an integrated team of allied health workers, pharmacists, social workers, psychologist and psychiatrist to provide holistic care in:
- Symptom management - eg. pain, breathlessness
- Communication and support to patient and family
- Guidance regarding medical decisions
- Advanced care planning
- Guidance and arrangements for care at home, in community hospitals, inpatient hospice or nursing homes
- End of life care
- Psychosocial and spiritual support
- Grief and bereavement support
These are provided through direct management, support to primary physicians or collaboration with community partners to bring care to wherever patient is located.
Inpatient Palliative Care Beds: Dedicated beds in acute hospital wards managed by Palliative Medicine Physician for patients who require equipments available only in acute hospitals.
Specialist Outpatient Palliative Care Clinics: Palliative Medicine Physicians provide first visit assessment or follow up for symptom mangement, adjustment of chronic disease care, education and skills training for caregivers, recommendation and liaison for equipment and services to meet patient's needs.
Community Hospital Palliative Care Beds: For patients who have completed acute hospital treatment and have progressed to subacute care to finetune symptom control or optimise function and chronic disease adjustments, to provide caregiver upskilling to go home or to be ready for transfer to inpatient hospice or nursing home.
Community Care: We support patients who wish to spend their time in the company of their loved ones and families at home by delivering care through hospice organisations (Singapore Cancer Society and HCA Hospice Care).
For more information on Palliative Care, please visit Singapore Hospice Council
