Information for health professionals.
Please click on the questions below to jump to answers further down the page. The information on this page is a guide only and does not take the place of information provided to you by a health professional and tailored to your situation.
- Do you want urgent advice about the management of a patient with a life limiting or terminal illness?
- Do you want to refer a patient to their local palliative care service?
- Do you want patient information about intrathecal analgesia?
- Do you want to access training, education or professional development opportunities in palliative care?
- Do you want information about palliative care for your profession?
- Do you want more general information about palliative care, or to access detailed information resources about palliative care?
- Do you want information about policy development in palliative and end of life care?
- Do you need to choose a new syringe driver?
- Do you need more information about mesothelioma?
Do you want urgent advice about the management of a patient with a life limiting or terminal illness?
- The Silver Chain Rural Telephone Nurse Advisory Service number is 1800 420 102.
- The Silver Chain Call Centre will page the on-duty Palliative Care Nurse Consultant who will contact you.
- You may be referred by Silver Chain to the Palliative Care Medical Consultant Advisory Service, depending on patient needs.
- This Service is for health providers only – members of the general public should only call Silver Chain on 08 9242 0242.
Do you want to refer a patient to their local palliative care service?
- In Perth and some country WA locations: Silver Chain Hospice Care Service: 08 9242 0242 – download the referral form from www.silverchain.org.au
- In all areas: enter the patient’s postcode into Palliative Care Australia’s National Palliative Care Service Directory: http://pallcare.gky.com.au/c/pc?a=apps&ap=bd
Do you want patient information about intrathecal analgesia?
- The Clinical Issues Working Group of Palliative Care WA Inc has written an 8-page patient information brochure called /All About Intrathecal Catheters and Pain Relief.
- You can download - All About Intrathecal Catheters and Pain Relief
- Please provide your patient with an Evaluation Form
Do you want to access training, education or professional development opportunities in palliative care?
- Cancer Council WA Professional Development Centre: http://www.cancerwa.asn.au/professionals/professionaldevelopment/
- Caresearch – www.caresearch.com.au
- Royal Australian College of GPs online modules for doctors - http://www.gplearning.com.au/
- Palliative Care Australia online education resources – www.palliativecare.org.au
Do you want information about palliative care for your profession?
- Palliative Care Nurses Australia – www.pcna.org.au
- Australian and New Zealand Society for Palliative Medicine – www.anzspm.org.au
- Royal Australasian College of Physicians, Chapter of Palliative Medicine – http://www.racp.edu.au/page/about-the-racp/structure/australasian-chapter-of-palliative-medicine
- Clinical Oncological Society of Australia – www.cosa.org.au
- Medical Oncology Group Australia – www.moga.org.au
Do you want more general information about palliative care, or to access detailed information resources about palliative care?
- World Health Organisation definitions of palliative care and palliative care for children – http://www.who.int/cancer/palliative/definition/en/
- Palliative Care Australia – www.palliativecare.org.au
- Palliative Care WA Inc – www.palliativecarewa.asn.au
- Caresearch – www.caresearch.com.au
- Therapeutic Guidelines – www.tg.com.au
- MAPCARE Project – palliative and end of life care management information for nurses in acute hospitals – www.mapcare.org.au (from SA)
Do you want information about policy development in palliative and end of life care?
- Palliative Care WA Inc – www.palliativecarewa.asn.au
- Palliative Care Australia – www.palliativecare.org.au
- Department of Health, Palliative Care Network - http://www.healthnetworks.health.wa.gov.au/home/
- Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing - http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/Palliative+Care-1
Do you need to choose a new syringe driver?
- The popular Graseby syringe drivers were withdrawn from sale in Australia in October 2007.
- There are several different pumps readily available in the Australian marketplace. You can view the Palliative Care Australia report on these products here
- Palliative Care WA Inc’s Clinical Issues Working Group has assessed each of these devices for their suitability for use in palliative care. The Working Group is comprised of senior nurses from each of Perth’s palliative care services.
- The Clinical Issues Working Group has agreed that the their preferred pump is the Niki T34. The Group acknowledges there are other pumps available.
- The results of a simple comparative trial at Royal Perth Hospital are available here.
Do you need more information about mesothelioma?
One form of cancer where patients often receive palliative care is mesothelioma. It’s a painful form of cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. Patients diagnosed with mesothelioma rarely live more than two years after their diagnosis. The disease has been in the news recently through the efforts of Bernie Banton who has brought awareness about the rare disease to the mainstream.
Please visit the following sites for more information on mesothelioma and palliative care for mesothelioma patients:
Further Links
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