Midlands groups form new palliative care alliance

Thomas Lyons

Providing medical care with dignity and respect to those with life-limiting illness is the goal of all hospice services and a uniting of independent midlands groups is set to hone those aims.

The official launch of the Midlands Palliative Care Alliance (MPCA) took place in Bridge House Hotel, Tullamore on Monday, September 7. It marked a landmark collaboration between five independent hospice groups serving Westmeath, Longford, Offaly and Laois. The alliance establishes a united voice to advocate for equitable, high-quality palliative care across the midlands.

The launch coincided with Palliative Care Week, an annual national awareness campaign led by the All-Ireland Institute of Hospice and Palliative Care (AIIHPC), September 6-12.

The theme for this year Palliative Care Week was ‘It’s Not What You Think’, which aims to dispel persistent misconceptions about palliative care and encourage more people to access services that allow people to live as well as possible for as long as possible.

MPCA is made up of: North Westmeath Hospice, South Westmeath Hospice, Longford Hospice Homecare, Offaly Hospice Foundation and Laois Hospice Foundation.

Master of ceremonies for the proceedings was Professor Humphrey O’Connor, chairperson of the Offaly Hospice Foundation.

Prof O’Connor outlined the historic context of the alliance: “The five groups were formed with really just one aim. We might differ in aspects of what we are aiming for, but at the end of the day, the message from each of the hospice groups is to support palliative care services and improve the clinical situation for both patients and families going through the torment of end-of-life care and life-limiting illness that cannot be cured, and that is a huge ask for people.”

He said there is a unity of purpose among the five groups: “We all have the aim to improve care, but the gathering of the groups together is with a view to improving the terms of our contact with the HSE, the provision of services, the provision of staff for the various clinical scenarios that exist.”

Prof O’Connor said MPCA will have real benefits: “What we want is to achieve a situation in which patients at the north end of Longford or the south end of Laois are as precious to us as those who are walking the streets of Tullamore, and that’s the way we have to view this.

“We need equality, and we need equality both in terms of timing, content, kindness and compassion to make sure that the journey for patients and their families is optimal.”

The chairperson of the Midlands Palliative Care Alliance, Veronica Larkin of North Westmeath Hospice, told the gathering that the coming together was the culmination of years of planning: “It’s brilliant that the hospice service in the midlands is so strongly and enthusiastically supported.

“As Humphrey said, two years ago, the five hospice groups got together and we had a meeting in Tyrrellspass. We decided that together we were better. But we also decided we needed our own identities as well, and it’s important we all understand that.”

Ms Larkin explained the structure of the group: “We have 10 people in our group, two from each hospice, and we meet four times a year. We don’t have a budget, and that’s on purpose, because the hospices themselves hold their budgets from their fundraising in their own areas.

“Our purpose is to influence policy and practice, and what’s going to happen across the HSE to care for patients from diagnosis until end of life. And that everybody, as Humphrey said, from north Longford to south County Laois is cared for.”

The alliance taps in to roots that reflect their places of origin: “Because we are a farming community we have the essence of meitheal about us,” Ms Larkin said.

In her address, Karen Charnley, CEO of the All Ireland Institute of Hospice and Palliative Care (AIIHPC), told the attendees that MPCA folds in well with ethos of her organisation: “The institute aims to ensure excellent palliative care is available at the right time and place across the island of Ireland. The institute has now been going for 16 years.”

She welcomed the alliance: “I’m delighted that Midlands Palliative Care Alliance and its member organisations have joined the institute. It was a big achievement for us last year to bring the alliance in as a member, and we’re greatly looking forward to supporting the alliance in its work across research, education and practice, and engaging with communities.

“We will be looking at how we can support you to continue to improve palliative care services within the region, obviously with your collaborations with HSE as well.”

Donal Fitzsimons, HSE Integrated Health area manager, described the alliance as a “new chapter for palliative care in the midlands”.

Mr Fitzsimons said: “This grouping is built on a long tradition of partnership between the statutory and voluntary organisations. The new hospice in Tullamore will be defined by better care for patient and their families.”

Also addressing the gathering was Norman Browne, who completed a 132km charity walk along the Grand Canal from Shannon Harbour to Grand Canal Dock in memory of his father, Patrick Browne. The walk successfully raised €4,400 each for Our Lady’s Hospice and Care Services and Offaly Hospice.

Norman spoke of the care his father received while in palliative care and the comfort that gave to the entire family.

Dr Sarah Nestor, consultant in Palliative Medicine with MRH Tullamore, said there were a lot of myths about what palliative care is, but explained that the essential goal is to improve the quality of life of those with life limiting illness, providing medical care with dignity and respect.

Dr Nestor outlined how that is achieved: “Palliative medicine is about holistic care, physical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual, for people with life-limiting illness and for the people they love. It’s transformative.”

She said palliative care is a multi-layered service that includes social workers, physios, pastoral care, occupational therapy, art therapy, nurses, and doctors; all working together with warmth, energy, and shared purpose.

Speaking to the Westmeath Examiner about the importance of the service, North Westmeath Hospice ambassador Tina Kellegher described her first-hand experience of palliative care. Tina’s interaction with the hospice services came when her family was supported as her parents were looked after on their final journey.

The actor said: “It’s such an important time in your life, and such a difficult time in your life. The fact that such a beautiful service is in place, and all the different kinds of services; the home care package, the rooms in the Ciuín Suite in Mullingar hospital, and, in the not-too-distant future, we will have the purpose-built hospice facility outside of Tullamore as well.”

Ms Kellegher said the service instil a sense of tranquillity at a stressful time: “You really do feel nurtured and cared for. The respect that’s given to both family and the patient.

“The comfort in knowing that their pain is being managed, and that they will make their final journey as comfortably, as pain-free as is possible. It’s such a help as you face the hard world of grieving.”