Flanders to modernise palliative care

On World Hospice and Palliative Care Day, Flanders' Welfare and Public Health minister announced an additional 5 million euros in funding for palliative care. An action plan to reform the sector should be ready by the end of the year.

Outdated regulations still govern palliative care today. Together with all stakeholders in the field, the Care department has developed a vision paper for reform so that palliative care is ready for future challenges. 

The aim is for palliative care to become an integral part of every person's care and support plan so that all welfare and care providers can work together optimally according to the wishes and needs of the person receiving palliative care.

The vision statement will now be turned into an action and transition plan to shape the necessary reforms. The concrete actions will be refined with the sector by the end of the year, says minister of Welfare and Public Health Hilde Crevits.

In the meantime, Crevits is investing an additional 5 million euros in palliative care on top of the more than 13 million euros already spent on the sector. With this funding, she wants to offer prospects for the services and support they provide, she said.

"Palliative care is an example of integrated care par excellence, where the individual is at the centre and where there is cooperation between all care providers," said Crevits. "That is why we want to strengthen this sector further and anchor this way of working as an example for other care and welfare sectors."

^{#FlandersNewsService | © Fred DUFOUR / AFP}