Palliative Care
Quality care at the end of life requires specialised care and support that recognises the unique needs of a person who has a life-limiting illness, and their family and carers.
What is palliative care?
Palliative care is "an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problem associated with life-threatening illness, through the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification and impeccable assessment and treatment of pain and other problems, physical, psychosocial and spiritual" (World Health Organisation). Palliative care can be given alongside treatments given by other doctors - it is not just about supporting people who are at the end of life.
Palliative Care Australia question prompt list
Palliative care at the Mater Hospital
In addition to being a Medical Oncologist, Dr Ben Forster is also a specialist supportive and palliative care physician and is the Head of the Department of Palliative and Supportive Care at the Mater Hospital.
The Mater Hospital Palliative Care Service provides a supportive and palliative care service for people receiving treatment at The Mater Hospital. Our goal is to ensure specialised care is available where it is needed. This includes linking with local community palliative care services for ongoing support and access to allied health and other resources at home for people who have been receiving treatment in hospital.
Dr Forster is a member of the consultative service team for patients at the Mater Hospital who require advice on symptom management during their inpatient stay. Unfortunately he is not able to offer outpatient or community consultation for palliative care at this time.
New palliative care unit
Dr Forster has been very involved in the concept and design of the Mater Hospital’s proposed new palliative care unit. This purpose-built, 12-bed unit will allow people to access specialist inpatient supportive and palliative care services at the Mater as part of the hospital’s comprehensive cancer service.
Construction is now underway, and with completion expected in late 2024