A first birthday for POWH Community Palliative Care

This month, the Community Palliative Care Team at Prince of Wales Hospital (POWH) are marking their first anniversary.  

Over the past year, a multidisciplinary team of nurses, social workers, doctors, occupational therapists, a physiotherapist, speech pathologist and dietician have supported 300 patients and their families.  

Operating 365 days a year, the team delivers holistic, patient-centred care directly to clients in the community. 

Community palliative care focuses on maximising safety and quality of life at home, through symptom management, advanced care planning, service coordination, and end of life care. They are committed to helping patients stay in the place they feel most comfortable, surrounded by their loved ones. 

Setting up a new healthcare service is never easy, and the team’s success wouldn’t have been possible without the dedication of the wider palliative care service, particularly Clinical Nurse Consultant Trish Sutton and Dr Rebecca Strutt. Their leadership and expertise have been vital in ensuring the smooth launch of the service and high-quality care for our community. 

One family shared: “The team have made a huge difference at this difficult time of our lives. They all bring good cheer and laughter into our home as well as showing outstanding professionalism and knowledge.”  

Compliments like these highlight the heart of their mission and the profound impact the Palliative Care Team strives to make. 

The team celebrated this special milestone with a gathering, reflecting on their journey, shared stories, and renewed their dedication to this meaningful mission.