Hospice Week: Expert palliative care relieves unnecessary suffering

Hospice Week is celebrated annually in South Africa from tomorrow (May 5) until May 11. It’s a time to focus on the important role that palliative care plays in healthcare.

The Association of Palliative Care Centres (APCC) is a member organisation for 91 palliative care centres, many of which are hospices. In 2023, these centres cared for nearly 38 000 people, including patients and their loved ones.

Of these people, 16 327 (41%) were patients and 21 901 (59%) were patient household members or loved ones. The predominant diagnosis of patients was HIV/Aids (37%), followed by cancer (25%), chronic illness (23%), Covid-19 (12%), and tuberculosis (3%). Some patients had more than one diagnosis.

What is palliative care?

According to the APCC, palliative care is the physical, psychological, social, and spiritual care provided by an interdisciplinary team of experts to anyone with a life-threatening illness. Care is also extended to patients’ loved ones and is offered from the point of diagnosis to bereavement support if needed. APCC members typically have a team that includes a medical doctor, professional nurse, social worker, counsellor, and home-based carers. All staff are trained in palliative care, which aims to ensure a quality of life for patients and to prevent and relieve unnecessary suffering.

The APCC is committed to ensuring high-quality palliative care throughout South Africa. They have developed a set of Standards for Palliative Healthcare Services that member centres must follow. They also offer a mentorship programme to help members achieve accreditation under these standards.

“The APCC is the only organisation in South Africa that has developed accredited Standards for Palliative Healthcare Services, which are services that not only support the thousands of patients cared for nationwide, but their loved ones too. Since the release of the National Policy Framework and Strategy for Palliative Care, there has been a mushrooming of service providers that are not accredited. Our members are all accredited and constantly working to improve their accreditation statuses with our mentors,” says APCC CEO Dr Ewa Skowronska.

Helping each other

To support members in gaining their accreditation, the association established a mentorship programme in which mentors (who are also members) take other members through the policies, procedures and protocols necessary to gain a level one accreditation. They then guide them through the other four levels, adds Skowronska.

Msunduzi Hospice Association CEO Warren Oxford-Huggett has been a mentor for several years. “The immense value and privilege of being able to provide this mentorship is overwhelmingly positive.”

Fellow mentor and Knysna-Sedgefield Hospice CEO Hilary Grey adds it is wonderful to see members across the country implement the standards. “It is about taking what they do and growing that rather than trying to squeeze them into a mould. We find and share best practices. I also love working with the other mentors who help interpret when there is doubt. Palliative care is all about the team, so this is an extension of that.”

The general manager of Lambano Sanctuary, Evelyn Makanda, feels the association brings a wealth of expertise and experience. “Their guidance has helped us navigate complex challenges, providing insights and best practices that we can apply directly to our work. Through the industry body, we’ve related to a vast network of professionals; these connections have opened doors to new opportunities, partnerships, and resources that have enhanced our day-to-day operations.”

Hospice White River manager Terran Gericke applauds the training. “Hospice White River was fortunate enough to be a part of the first round of mentorship and learning provided by the APCC. The goal was to increase our star rating from two to three stars, which we did with the help of the dedicated APCC team.”

Tersia Burger, CEO of Ekurhuleni-based Stepping Stone Hospice, says mentoring members enhances the quality of care provided to patients and supports the professional and personal growth of staff. “By sharing my knowledge of working with medical aids, we have managed to improve the sustainability and growth in some hospices.”

Client testimony

Sasha Ryan, whose mother received palliative from HospiceWits, wrote in a letter to the NPO: “I watched with wonder as you seamlessly integrated the art and science of nursing, masterfully navigating the complex web of medical procedures, medications, and treatments. You provided a safe harbour amid the tempest, instilling hope and fostering an environment of healing, love, and trust.”