Not every person living with a life-limiting illness requires specialist palliative care. For those who do, palliative care professionals can assist for as long as is needed (for example decades, years, months, weeks).
Palliative Care Specialists are doctors who have advanced training in palliative care. Together with specialist palliative care nurses, they provide specialised care to people with complex palliative needs. It is also their responsibility to provide consultation, support, advice, and education to non-specialist clinicians involved in the person’s care.
Palliative care teams include specialist palliative care doctors and nurses, social workers, pastoral care workers, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, pharmacists, care coordinators, trained volunteers, and carers. By working together, these teams are more likely to be able to support people reaching their palliative health care goals than they would be if they worked alone, particularly when the person’s palliative care needs are multifaceted and complex.