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Some myth busting about supportive and palliative care teams #SPCT
1) Referral to SPCT does not mean stopping all active treatments. Where appropriate ,active treatments can go hand in hand with symptom control and holistic care.
2)Patients do not need to be dying to be referred to SPCT.They can and should be referred earlier if there is a need.Referral should be based on need rather than prognosis . Early referral has shown to improve outcome.
3)SPCT does not hasten death.Instead the aim of SPCT is to enhance and improve a patient's quality of life.
4)Involving SPCT does not shorten lives. On the contrary they help to reduce treatment (eg chemo/radiotherapy)toxicities and side effects.This improves treatment compliance and can potentially improve survival in some cases.
5)Syringe drivers are not synonymous with dying but instead an innovative method of delivery of symptom control medicines that can be used with ease in the hospital and community.
6)Opioids are but just one type of class of drugs among an array array of painkillers used by SPCT teams to control pain.They are used judiciously and titrated scientifically to help ease pain.They are never used with the intention of shortening lives.
7)Referral to SPCT does not mean that the doctor is giving up on the patient .It is an additional service that works closely with other specialties and compliments the patients care for the better .
8) SPCT care for patients with cancer as well as many non cancer conditions such as COPD, heart failure, dementia, MS, MND and parkinson's .
9)Not every patient referred to the hospice is a dying patient. A significant proportion of them are admitted for treatment of complex symptoms and they are then discharged once this is achieved .
10)And finally ..working in SPCT is neither depressing nor demoralising . It is in fact an exhilarating experience surrounded by a dynamic multidisciplinary team who are dedicated to bring a positive difference to the lives of patients and their carers.
