The Integrated People-Centred Palliative Care (IPC2) community provides an opportunity for the exchange of practices, experiences and lessons learned about palliative care; discussions on specific topics within this field are facilitated by a group of experts including physicians, nurses, and other health professionals with an aim to address issues of interest for primary health care providers, policy makers, family care givers, and other key stakeholders. The community facilitates the dissemination of key publications and resources. We aim to bring lessons from the palliative care community to the wider group of stakeholders working on integrated people-centred health services. Our community has an open membership: every interested individual and institution can become a member.
What is palliative care?
Palliative care is a multidisciplinary integrated and holistic approach that improves the quality of life of patients (adults and children) and their families who are facing problems associated with life-threatening illness. It prevents and relieves suffering through the early identification, correct assessment and treatment of pain and other problems, whether physical, psychosocial or spiritual. Addressing suffering involves taking care of issues beyond physical symptoms; to do so palliative care is based on a team approach to support patients, families and caregivers. Access to palliative care is recognised as a fundamental right, it is not limited to the end of life but should be provided at an early stage, in all levels of care, through person-centred and integrated health services; paying special attention to the specific needs and preferences of individuals. Palliative care reduces unnecessary hospitalizations and improves the efficiency of health care services.
Purpose of the community
Following the global commitment expressed by the resolution of the World Health Assembly adopted in 2014, the goal of this community is to contribute to “the strengthening of palliative care as a component of comprehensive care throughout the life course”.
Equitable access to integrated and people-centred Palliative Care
- Understand the impact of palliative care on the quality of life of patients, their families and communities
- Improve integration of palliative care at all levels of care, especially primary health care
- Collect and disseminate information about models of palliative care, and monitoring of quality
- Interconnect experts and health professionals from different regions of the world
This is community with open membership where everyone is welcome to join. You can request the membership by contacting the moderator Isabelle Wachsmuth (please, register first through the sign-up function of platform) or by clicking on the "request membership" button above.