Chair's Message
It is very encouraging to follow developments that have the potential to further integrate and enhance palliative care across our region.
Here in London, the Citywide Palliative Care Program in the Department of Family Medicine is taking shape with the appointment of Dr. Anita Singh as the Citywide Medical Leader. This Program is a multidisciplinary program with the goal of integrating the London hospitals’ palliative care units with Hospice of London and community-based palliative care programs. An additional goal is to bring palliative care providers together to coordinate academic endeavours, including education and research in palliative care.
The Southwest LHIN Hospice Palliative Care Network is planning to implement two palliative care outreach teams in London Middlesex to complement existing community-based palliative care groups. Ideally the outreach teams will work with primary care providers to support them in delivering palliative care to their patients in community settings. This is excellent news, and should encourage family physicians and nurse practitioners to stay involved in palliative care, and provide that all-important continuity for patients with complex symptoms and issues. There will be more news about these outreach teams to come. Watch for announcements about future meetings if you'd like to be informed and/or involved.
On a broader scale the Southwestern Academic Health Network, (SWAHN), has been investigating a broader integration of palliative care services across the whole Southwest region for enhanced clinical care as well as support for academic initiatives such as a common curriculum in palliative care and research opportunities.
It is my hope that all of these initiatives can sync together and bring us closer to the common goal of enhanced, integrated palliative care services, education and research across the Southwest.
As always, I welcome your feedback and suggestions at swetmore@uwo.ca.
