More supports for palliative patients in residential care and in the community were announced today by Health Minister Terry Lake at the official opening of the Nancy Chan Palliative Care Ambulatory Clinic.

With $250,000 in funding provided to the Vancouver General Hospital(VGH) and University of British Columbia (UBC) Hospital Foundation from the Province, the foundation can continue its support of Vancouver Coastal Health’s (VCH) palliative residential care program by expanding it to all 37 publicly funded residential care facilities in Vancouver.

“This funding reflects government’s commitment to end-of-life care and will help support choice for British Columbians and their families,” said Lake. “When a loved one is diagnosed with a life-limiting illness, it brings with it many emotions, and government wants to help ease the burden when plans are made for the journey ahead.”

Through training and education, the two-year pilot program will ensure that staff and physicians in residential care facilities are better prepared to talk with residents and their families about end-of-life and goals for care. It will also ensure that care providers have the right training, tools and resources to begin the conversation with residents and family early on about death, and to provide the most holistic and comprehensive care to patients.

“For the growing number of individuals who choose to remain at home for end-of-life care, having discussions about their goals of care is at the heart of ensuring they are well supported and that their wishes are known and honored,” says Yasmin Jetha, director of end-of-life services at VCH.

Key to the program is helping family physicians and health care teams learn how to start the dialogue regarding end-of-life issues with patients and families who live in residential care, and agree on clear and sustainable plans. This approach will also increase access to care and support those patients and residents who want to avoid intrusive interventions, by offering the choice to die in their home setting rather than being transferred to hospital.

"As one of B.C.'s leading health care philanthropic organizations, we are delighted to work with philanthropists and partners who have a passion for improving palliative and end of life care in B.C.,” says Barbara Grantham, VGH and UBC Hospital Foundation president and CEO. “The Province has a clear vision for expanding and enriching B.C.'s palliative care services, and philanthropy can play an important role in turning that vision into reality.”

Also announced was the Nancy Chan Palliative Care Ambulatory Clinic, a first of its kind in Canada thanks to a $650,000 donation from the Chan family.

The outpatient clinic provides specialist consultation to clients and families residing in Vancouver who are facing a life-limiting illness with complex symptoms or psychosocial concerns. The integrated clinical team, made up of a physician, clinical nurse specialist, social worker and spiritual care practitioner, work in collaboration with the family doctor, nurse practitioner and community health nurses to develop a holistic care plan.

The clinic will also be offering caregiver support, and grief and bereavement services. In addition, state-of-the-art telehealth video-conferencing capabilities provide an opportunity to extend their knowledge and expertise, and support palliative care education to communities throughout British Columbia.

Nancy Chan died in 2005. The family’s outstanding home-care experience inspired them to seek ways to help improve the quality of life for those with life-limiting illnesses and to support those who care for them, eventually leading to the donation to the VGH and UBC Hospital Foundation.

“My mom was incredibly caring and loving, and she gave so much of her time and support to others,” said Erica Chan. “This clinic honours that spirit – by reaching out to others to make sure they can access the care they need.”

“I want to thank the Chan family for their generous donation of $650,000 towards the new clinic, which will help more palliative patients receive the support, care and resources they need during a very tough time,” Lake added.

The Provincial End-of-Life Care Action Plan for British Columbia was released in March 2013. It was developed in consultation with clinical experts, community stakeholders, policy leaders and service providers and identifies three priority areas: delivery of timely, co-ordinated end-of-life care; provision of education tools and resources to patients, caregivers and health-care providers; and strengthening accountability and efficiency.

The Ministry of Health has developed “Setting Priorities for the B.C. Health System,” an overarching strategy to create a more sustainable health system. Part of the strategy focuses on palliative care, including continuing to implement the End-of-Life Care Action Plan to improve the way health-care providers meet the needs of people coping with end of life, including their families and caregivers. This focus complements government’s mandate to create new hospice-care spaces throughout the province by 2020.

Learn more:

To read the Ministry of Health’s strategic document, Setting Priorities for the B.C. Health System and the accompanying policy papers, please visit: www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/topic.page?id=EF73BCF3DE34484CB4DBA9E34092402C