Utilisation of services of the Malta Hospice Movement

Abstract

Oncology is the medical sub-speciality dealing with the study and treatment of cancer or malignant tumours. Palliative care in oncology is a broad band of care of indeterminate length which should start the moment the cancer is diagnosed or even before, when there is a gleam of apprehension in the patient's eye. Palliative care is defined as the relief of the suffering when cure is impossible, suffering which can be physical, psychological, social and spiritual and which involves the patients and their families. A holistic approach to care involves all the characteristics and past experience of this person, not just seeing them in terms of their diagnosis or present problem. Achieving a holistic approach to care is likely to require the skills and experience of several members of the professional team. The aim of this study was to assess and evaluate the degree to which, current patterns of patient referrals to the Malta Hospice Movement, to determine what proportion of cancer patients make use of the services provided by the Malta Hospice Movement and to suggest and recommend any findings for improvement in accessing the Malta Hospice Movement services while maximizing the benefits for both the patients and the providers. The participants in this study were staff employed at and patients attending both the Oncology department and from the Malta hospice Movement. They were all interviewed with a set of questionnaires to be able to analyse all the factors that would give an answer to the aims and objectives of this study. The study showed that although the participants using the services expressed high levels of satisfaction, not all the patients were aware of the services the Malta Hospice Movement provides and that there is a need for staff exchange initiative between the two camps so that both teams will work more as a multidisciplinary team. Promotion of the services provided by the Malta Hospice Movement to all stakeholders involved and to the general public is of the utmost importance.