The RBWH Palliative and Supportive Care Service is the winner of the 2021 Palliative Care in Queensland Palliative Care Service of the Year Award.
Evolved from a service supported by a CNC and Registrar with part-time Consultant support from TPCH in 2000 into a dedicated consultation-liaison service that supports more than 1200 patients and carers annually, the bi-disciplinary service operates 7 days a week with 5 clinical nurses and 4 part-time Specialists in Palliative Medicine and 2 Registrars.
The service receives a very significant proportion of referrals (~40%) for non-cancer related diagnoses and extends its ‘reach’ from Emergency, ICU to patients with disability and chronic disease, and is fully integrated with cancer care services.
All patients are jointly assessed by both medical and nursing clinicians resulting in a fastidious holistic approach to care, with close engagement of treating teams and allied health.
The service provides care to patients in an acute care setting in the context of on-going treatments (for cancer, surgical management, chronic disease) where the engagement of palliative care presents ‘cultural’, clinical challenges due to the uncertainty of diagnosis, the difficulties in determining patient goals of care that are aligned to clinical goals and the need for rigorous advance care planning in this setting.
Despite the challenges of embedding a service in a quarternary hospital, there has been an increase in referrals annually and integration of the service into Multidisciplinary Team clinical meetings to allow for consideration of end of life planning and appropriate clinical care. Provision of excellent palliative care as a consultation-liaison service in this setting is immensely rewarding and equally as challenging.
The Consultants of the service continue to develop collaborative models of care working closely with other teams to improve the understanding of the benefit of early engagement with the service. Such collaboration has resulted in recognition through awards including the National ACHS QI award in 2017 and the Metro North research award in 2018 for the Kidney Supportive Care Service.
What does winning a 2021 Palliative Care in Qld Award mean to you?
As Director of this service for over 15 years,winning the award is pause for personal reflection looking back over this time and the many significant milestones achieved. The service has grown from its infancy into a ‘stellar’ service underpinned by the enormous efforts and dedication of each of the Palliative Care clinicians whose contribution is recognised by this wonderful award, As Director of this service for over 15 years,winning the award is pause for personal reflection looking back over this time and the many significant milestones achieved.
The service has grown from its infancy into a ‘stellar’ service underpinned by the enormous efforts and dedication of each of the Palliative Care clinicians whose contribution is recognised by this wonderful award.
How does it feel to be recognised for your contribution to Palliative Care in Qld?
The gratitude of patients and carers is very often the only recognition that sustains this team. The acknowledgment by this award will be felt by each member of the service as fitting recognition that each deserves for their contribution to the highest level clinical care, quality improvement and major collaborative interdisciplinary initiatives. Personally, I am very happy for our team.
Who would you like to thank or acknowledge as part of your award win?
Firstly CNC Natalie Roset, and CN’s Natalie Stuart, Peter Jones, Anne Hales and Elena Fletcher-Hall. The sterling SMO’s Dr Alison Kearney, Dr Katrina Kramer and Dr Nash Weir and Administration Officer Karen Hruschka and all Medical Registrars rotating through the department past and present.
Finally, the many collegial medical, nursing and allied health professionals at RBWH who support our work.
