Canada - Action plan, centre for excellence, hospice funding to support end-of-life care

Citation

(2013), "Canada - Action plan, centre for excellence, hospice funding to support end-of-life care", International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, Vol. 26 No. 6. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijhcqa.2013.06226faa.003

Canada - Action plan, centre for excellence, hospice funding to support end-of-life care

Article Type: News and views From: International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, Volume 26, Issue 6

Keywords: End of life care improvements, Dying with dignity at home, Hospice and palliative care access

Health Minister Margaret MacDiarmid has released an action plan to improve access to end-of-life care so people can remain at home and in their community longer and committed funding to establish a centre for excellence in end-of-life care.

“Providing end-of-life care helps people in this stage of life to die with dignity in their home community near family and friends,” said MacDiarmid, while visiting the new Vancouver Hospice Society hospice home. “While advances in end-of-life-care have been made in recent years, there are ways we can improve. Our goal is to provide high-quality compassionate, respectful and competent care for all people who are dying and for their families.”

The health minister also announced $950,000 to help complete and equip the new facility. The funding will complete the fundraising needed to construct, equip and operate the home.

“Our hospice home will help provide additional hospice and palliative care beds in the Vancouver area,” said Geri McGrath, executive director with Vancouver Hospice Society. “It will ensure those facing end-of-life issues will have the medical, emotional and spiritual support they need during a challenging time in their life.”

The minister also announced funding to support a number of hospices. Marion Hospice in Vancouver will receive $2 million, Peace Arch Hospice in White Rock will receive $3 million and Canuck Place Children’s Hospice will receive $2 million.

“As the only pediatric hospice in British Columbia, Canuck Place Children’s Hospice is extremely grateful for this funding. It will help us continue to provide urgent, critical care for children and teens facing life-threatening illnesses and their families across the province,” said Margaret McNeil, CEO of Canuck Place. “We are proud to partner with the Province of B.C. and the Ministry of Health and thank them for their continued commitment to pediatric palliative care and the Canuck Place program.”

The Provincial End-of-Life Care Action Plan for British Columbia is intended to guide health authorities, physicians, health-care providers and community organizations in planning integrated primary and community care services to meet the needs of people coping with end of life, including their families and caregivers.

“The action plan is an excellent guide for health-care providers who support persons with life limiting illness at end-of-life, including their families and caregivers,” said Carolyn Tayler, director of End of Life Care Fraser Health. “A key element is the early identification of people who would benefit from a care approach that focuses on their quality of life to identify and address their care goals. This takes into account their beliefs, values and wishes.”

Actions can be summarized in three areas and cover:

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  Redesigning health services to deliver timely co-ordinated end-of-life care. Actions include expanding telehealth and telemonitoring and improving the capacity to provide end-of-life care in residential care facilities and other housing and care settings.

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  Providing individuals, caregivers and health-care providers with palliative care information, education, tools and resources. Actions include increasing public awareness of palliative care as an approach to care at any stage of a serious illness, translating advance care planning materials into Punjabi and Chinese, as well as supporting end-of-life care education for family doctors, specialists and other health care professionals.

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  Strengthening health-system accountability and efficiency. Actions include implementing provincial end-of-life care clinical guidelines, protocols and standards as well as providing equitable access to the B.C. palliative care benefits program.

The action plan supports quality hospice, palliative and end-of-life care services throughout British Columbia - with a focus on supporting individuals with life-limiting illnesses to remain at home in their community, reducing the need for hospital or emergency department visits, and improving co-ordination of care across all settings.

Government is committing $2 million through the Provincial Health Services Authority to establish a Provincial Centre for Excellence in End-of Life Care. Once established, the centre for excellence will be expected to accelerate innovation and best practice in the field of quality care for people with life-limiting illnesses. Government’s intent is for the centre to focus on research, education, information management, and policy and clinical care. It is expected that the knowledge and tools it creates will then be shared with health-care professionals and anyone who is interested throughout British Columbia, Canada and worldwide.

Creating a high-quality, sustainable system for palliative and end-of-life care is increasingly important as British Columbian’s population grows and ages, and as more individuals live with long-term illnesses. The percentage of B.C. seniors over the age of 80 years old will grow from 4.4 per cent in 2012 to 7.4 per cent of the population by 2036. At the same time, it is projected that the prevalence of chronic conditions may increase by 58 per cent over the next 25 years.

For more information: www.newsroom.gov.bc.ca