DISCUSSIONS are being held for the possible creation of a free-standing hospice and palliative care facility on the island.
This, from Minister of Health Donville Inniss.
He made this announcement as he addressed participants at the Symposium on Hospice and Palliative Care in Barbados hosted by the Barbados Diaspora Collaborative USA (BDC USA).
The Collaborative, currently comprises the Barbados Cancer Association USA Inc., the Council of Barbadian Organisations NY Inc., the National Association of Barbados Organisations Inc., and the United Barbadian Planning Committee.
He explained that findings from the Government-commissioned “Barbados Palliative Care Needs Assessment Project” (BarNap) had shown that there was a social preference in Barbados for a stand-alone inpatient hospice. Such facility, he outlined, would be capable of providing respite and specialist palliative care services to terminal, and immediately pre-terminal cancer patients, as well as patients with non-cancer diagnosis, with a maximum projected annual capacity of 250 patients.
He subsequently took the opportunity to commend the work of the BDC USA, expressing that its support in the area of palliative and hospice care was not only timely, but afforded the Ministry the opportunity to synergise its efforts in the development of a model of palliative and hospice care for Barbados.
He stated, “The Ministry of Health supports in principle this provision of care and, as an adjunct, has established a National Advisory Committee on Chronic Pain Management and mandated to identify strategies to improve this area of health care.”
He maintained that the Ministry sought to provide palliative care services which underscored a partnership between the patient, medical specialists and family, not only by controlling symptoms, but also by helping those affected and afflicted to understand treatment goals and options.
He continued, “We embrace the concept of hospice care that treats the person rather than the disease; that focuses on quality rather than length of life and is family-centred.”“It is my belief that these initiatives will go a long way to improve the quality of life of patients and families by relieving pain and providing symptom control; aid in decision-making and seamless co-ordination of care; address any social, psychological, emotional or spiritual needs the patient may have; and provide support to family members and care givers,” he added.
He acknowledged that the development of such services will be “no small task”.
“The partnership ideology requires an extension across the intricate web that will be the provision of palliative and hospice care services. To be successful, it will require the involvement not only of the Government sector but other entities within the private sector, local community and faith-based organisations and other organisations such as yourselves, who reside beyond our physical shores but whose sense of commitment to national development is still firmly planted on local soil.” (JM)
