A clinician's view on palliative care, terminal care and quality of life

No more than 20-25% of cancer patients are cured and 55% need palliative treatment from the time of diagnosis. Medical and nurse training in palliative care, and pain control in particular, is poor and there is a great shortage of doctors trained in terminal care. Palliative care is detailed, complex care and includes many services both in the hospital and in the community. It should be available to all patients wherever they live. We need a network of Home Care and Hospital Support Teams throughout the country, and a limited number of specialist hospice inpatient units to deal with the difficult problems, research and training in terminal care. These services need to be co-ordinated and monitored and will require funding by governmental bodies.