A palliative care doctor-in-training and palliative care nurse are working with other services to provide support for patients in the Forster-Tuncurry area.
With assistance from Manning Base Hospital’s Department of Specialist Palliative Care, Mayo and Forster private hospitals and local GPs, palliative care specialist, Arron Veltre has been instrumental in recruiting Yvette Etherden and Emma Mcleod, respectively, to the roles.
“Yvette and Emma show incredible commitment to giving patients and their families the support they need at what is usually the most difficult time in their lives,” Dr Veltre said.
Dr Veltre and the new recruits will work with local GPs, the community palliative care team and the private hospitals’ allied health care team to provide best-practice palliative care.
“I was thrilled when Arron approached us to support the funding for Yvette’s training to work with Emma at Forster Private,” Forster and Mayo private hospitals regional CEO, Ben Uprichard said. “Their expertise and commitment will help our most vulnerable patients, including those admitted via the Hunter New England Health funding agreement that gives non-privately insured community members access to Forster Private Hospital services.
Forster and Mayo private hospitals regional CEO, Ben Uprichard
“Their expertise and commitment will help our most vulnerable patients, including those admitted via the Hunter New England Health funding agreement that gives non-privately insured community members access to Forster Private Hospital services.”
With the Mid Coast’s high proportion of over 65s and significant need for palliative care, it is vital that our community has access to the best possible locally-based palliative care services, Dr Veltre said.
According the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, around 80 per cent of Australians who die in any given year are over 65 and the number of people accessing palliative care increased by almost 85 per cent in the five years to 2015-16.
Credit: Great Lakes Advocate NSW