Palliative Care - Information for Health Professionals
We can look after your patient if they have a life-limiting or terminal illness. We help by managing symptoms, pain and optimise their quality of life. Our interdisciplinary team of specialists, registrars, nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, social workers, dieticians, pharmacists, speech pathologists and clinical psychologists provide assessment, advice, support and care planning in partnership with you in hospital, their home or residential aged care facilities.
Our services
Inpatient consultations
We visit inpatients at Prince of Wales Hospital. We can also help arrange to get your patient home and have palliative care in their home.
Community service
A community based, multidisciplinary team that offers seamless transfer of care from hospital to home or RACF. The service can enable choice and location of care for people for people with life-limiting illness requiring symptom management or end of life care. We can also loan equipment.
This service is 7 days a week between 8.00 am and 6.00 pm. You can also call us via the hospital switchboard outside these hours on (02) 9382 2222.
Residential aged care facilities (RACF)
Our specialised Nurse Practitioner can visit your patient if they live in a nursing home in our hospital's catchment area. This service is available Monday to Friday and you can access specialist advice over the telephone at weekends.
Outpatient clinic appointments at our hospital
| Clinic name | Description | Day, time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palliative Care Medical Clinic | Clinics run by Palliative Care Staff Specialist to introduce the patient to palliative care, assist with symptom management and commence discussions about future planning. | Monday, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays |
Nelune Comprehensive Cancer Centre within the Bright Alliance Building (Building 3 on our campus map) Phone: 02 9382 5111 |
| Palliative Supportive Multidisciplinary Clinic | This clinic is for people who have a life-threatening illness, non-malignant illness or neurodisability and are in the last 12 - 24 months of their life. They will be reviewed by a multidisciplinary team. We can also arrange telehealth and home visits. Visit our webpage for more information on this service. |
Tuesdays 9.00 am to 2.00 pm |
Professorial Suite, Level 2, Campus Centre Building, Prince of Wales Hospital (Building 16 our campus map). Phone: 02 9382 0400 |
Dr Rebecca Strutt (Head of Department)
Dr Jessica Borbasi
Dr Sanchai Thientopasol
Dr Shawna Koh
Dr Helen Herz
Our palliative care services will treat people with a progressive life limiting or life- threatening disease (malignant and/or non-malignant) and one or more of the additional criteria below:
- The patient has complex symptoms that require specialist assessment/management.
- The patient and/or family has complex emotional, social or spiritual needs that require specialist assessment.
- The primary care team and/or patient and family would benefit from support when planning for or undertaking withdrawal of life prolonging treatment.
- It is expected that the patient will die in the coming months and support is needed for patients to die at home. Additional assistance can be put in place for carers and families.
- Referral to a Palliative Care unit (Sacred Heart Hospice).
- Patients reside at a home or a Residential Aged Care Facility (RACF) that is within the POWH Palliative Care Service catchment area for review in the community.
You can refer your patient using the following methods:
- Refer your POWH inpatient - Via the hospital switchboard 02 9382 2222 or via email: SESLHD-POWH-PalliativeCare@health.nsw.gov.au.
- Refer to Community Services - Community Palliative Care Referral Form- POW CPCT Referral Form
- Referral form for Palliative Supportive Multidisciplinary Clinic – MDT Clinic Referral Form
- eReferrals (SmartForms) can be submitted via the MyHealthLink Portal or via practice software (Best Practice, Medical Director, Genie, MedTech).
Please attach any relevant documents including, patient history or test results. Upon receipt of the referral our team will ensure that the patient information is triaged, the patient is contacted for an appointment.
Private referrals (bulk-billed through Medicare)
All patients have the right to choose to be treated as a public or private patient for outpatient attendances. If your patient chooses to be treated privately and bulk-billed through Medicare, your referral must meet the following criteria:
- You must address the referral to one Consultant from our Specialist team, not the hospital, clinic, outpatient department or JMO
- You must sign and date the referral, and include your provider number and practice address
- You must state the period of referral in months, or refer “indefinitely”
- You must provide this referral on or prior to the appointment date.
Please note that it is inappropriate for our administration team to recommend a Consultant for your patient. We have listed the names and specialties of our Consultants above to help you decide on the most appropriate practitioner.
We cannot process your referral if it does not meet the above criteria prior to your patient's initial appointment.
Your patient can choose to amend your referral on the day of their initial appointment. If you provide a private referral that is addressed to a Consultant, your patient may choose to:
- Seek treatment from another provider within our team and change the Consultant's name on the referral themselves, or
- Decide to be treated as a public patient for their initial appointment, for which the private referral will be valid.
Please note that it is also inappropriate for our administration team to recommend a Consultant for your patient. We have listed the names and specialties of our Consultants above to help you decide on the most appropriate practitioner.
Who will contact your patient to schedule an appointment?
We will notify your patient and/or their carer by phone, once we have received your referral. We will also send your patient a confirmation letter via post.
We will send your patient a phone and/or SMS reminder 5 days before their appointment.
Who can you contact to follow up on a referral?
You may contact (02) 9382 5111 and ask for the Palliative Care Nurse Unit Manager.
What is the process if a patient misses or cancels their appointment?
If your patient needs to change or cancel their appointment, they should phone the Palliative Care Nurse Unit Manager on (02) 9382 5111.
We are a Medicare service. You must provide a referral that is addressed to one of our Specialist team. Your patient will be bulk-billed.