The government has announced its first National Strategy for Palliative Care, which offers increased and specialized care for patients with incurable conditions.

Health Minister Chris Fearne announced the strategy on Thursday, emphasizing that while palliative care is usually associated with patients who have cancer, other untreatable conditions will also be included. Palliative care focuses on improving the lives of patients with incurable conditions.

Fearne also announced that as of today, the public consultation process has opened, and will be open for a period of approximately six weeks. Fearne said that by mid-March, the consultations will close, and the government hopes to release the document by April or May 2023.

The strategy addresses various circumstances and conditions, and the government’s main focus is to push for palliative care to be given to patients in their own home.

The patient, as well as their families, can rest assured that the best care will be provided while the patient stays in their own community, said Fearne.

“Patients and families can rest assured that care at home will be no less than hospital care, and multidisciplinary teams of professionals will be trained to provide the same hospital care at home of the patient,” he said.

“In every position of their care, we can make patients’ lives better,” he said.

Fearne also detailed that palliative care in the hospital will still be provided, and the palliative care units will be increased by 16 more beds in the hospital.

He said that the government is working with the Curia, as well as with Hospice Malta, to continue expanding the number of beds available for patients with incurable conditions.

Services currently available for these patients are the Palliative Care Unit at the Sir Anthony Mamo Oncology Center (SAMOC) which includes 16 beds for cancer patients. A pain management clinic for palliative and oncology patients at SAMOC is also available once a week by a consultant anaesthetist.

The Government is also working hand in hand with Dar Bjorn, which includes 13 beds for neurological conditions such as ALS. Works are underway on Dar Bjorn II.

Community services are also offered by Hospice Malta, as well as the new San Mikiel Palliative Care Hospice Complex. Some beds are also available in the St. Vincent de Paul nursing home.

Fearne said that the government has already contributed €8 million to the building of San Mikiel, and will double the number of beds in the hospice department. Funds will continue to be given for these services, he said.

He said that the important role of nurse navigators/coordinators will be developed, and professionals will be trained to provide palliative care both in the hospital and at the patient’s home.

Fearne said that the strategy is a complicated one to implement, but it is much more complicated for patients and their families, who need to be reassured of the palliative care they are receiving.

He said that it seems clear that this care must continue to be given in the general wards of the hospital and in the community.

“The resources of the country must go hand in hand to provide specialized services for patients who have a short period of time left to live,” said Fearne.