Palliative Care Aims and Principles

Palliative Care Aims and Principles

• to achieve the best possible quality of life for patients and their families
• to understand and address patients’ physical, psychological, social and spiritual suffering
• to be applicable from early on in the course of the illness

The World Health Organisation defines palliative care as:

Palliative care:

• provides relief from pain and other distressing symptoms
• affirms life and regards dying as a normal process
• intends neither to hasten nor postpone death
• integrates the psychological and spiritual aspects of patient care
• provides support to help patients live as actively as possible
• provides support to the family during the illness and bereavement
• uses a multidisciplinary team approach
• enhances quality of life and influences the course of the illness
• is applicable early in the course of illness alongside therapies that are intended toprolong life (e.g. chemotherapy, radiotherapy) and diagnostic investigations

General symptom management principles

• accurate and meticulous assessment is essential
• assess and address non-physical as well as physical issues
• difficult to control symptoms may require several different approaches
• aim for highest possible quality of life
• use risk versus benefit assessments when side effects of therapy occur
• explain issues as much as possible to the patient and their carers
• use a multidisciplinary approach
• reassess continuously