Groote Schuur Hospital has developed a Palliative Care Program since 2011 and are currently integrating palliative care not only in-service delivery but also in training, teaching and research.
The team is co-ordinated by Sr Jenny Arendse who works closely with the palliative care team at UCT and the Western Cape Palliative Care Task team to develop and strengthen palliative care for the hospital and across the Western Cape.
Although, the team work across the hospital they have a family room, training room and offices which were old and in need of refurbishment. It was especially the family room, where difficult conversations are had with families that needed to be upgraded to create an atmosphere of care and professionalism.
Discovery Health and Decofurn have acknowledged that palliative care and family support are essential components of care and have upgraded the family room and training room into professional and attractive counselling and teaching space.
Hellen Keller stated that alone we can do so little but together we can do so much. These partnership have demonstrated that we can do so much more for patients and families if we all care and that palliative care is positive, planned and purposeful.
Leave a Reply