Marie Curie to host major conference on end of life care for non-cancer conditions

Marie Curie to host major conference on end of life care for non-cancer conditions

Major conference on palliative care for people with conditions other than cancer coming to Belfast on 27 November.

A major conference on palliative care for people with conditions other than cancer is coming to Belfast on 27 November.

Organised by Marie Curie Northern Ireland, the event will bring together a panel of expert speakers to explore the barriers to, and benefits of, palliative care for people with dementia, Parkinson’s disease, heart failure and Motor Neurone Disease.

Joan McEwan, Head of Policy and Public Affairs at Marie Curie Northern Ireland, explained:

“Everyone should have the right to high-quality palliative care when they have a terminal illness, but evidence suggests there are unique barriers preventing people with conditions other than cancer from getting the care and support they need.”

“These can include under-developed links between condition specialists and palliative care specialists, lack of understanding of what palliative care can achieve for patients with non-cancer conditions, and the unpredictable trajectories of some non-cancer conditions, which can make it difficult to know when to initiate palliative care.”

“With our population getting older, and the prevalence of terminal illnesses other than cancer on the rise, it is crucial that we work together to improve palliative and end of life care provision for patients in these cohorts.”

Guests will hear from a panel of leading industry experts, including Prof Sonja McIlfatrick, Head of the School of Nursing at Ulster University; Dr Carol Stone, Consultant in Palliative Medicine at Marie Curie Northern Ireland; Pro Kevin Brazil, Professor of Health Research at Ulster University; and Dr Kate Flemming, Senior Lecturer at the University of York.

To register for the event, or for more information, please click here.

Last updated 6 years 5 months ago
Marie Curie to host major conference on end of life care for non-cancer conditions