The GHA observed World Hospice and Palliative Care Day on the 14th October, a day which celebrated and supported Hospice and Palliative Care in Gibraltar.

The GHA Specialist Palliative Care Team is Dr Bronwen James and a team of specialist nurses and nurse practitioners: Jamesina Santos, Tara Montegriffo-Coumbe, Nicole Pizarro and Selena Victory.

Palliative care is a holistic approach focused on alleviating symptoms and improving quality of life for patients with life limiting illness. This care extends to their family and care givers and also includes care at the end of life.

'The year’s theme is ‘Compassionate Communities: Together for Palliative Care’, which resonates with the community in Gibraltar as we are fortunate to have a very cohesive, caring and tight knit community. Nurse Practitioner Jamie Santos is a PhD student at the University of Gibraltar. Her research explores how we care for our loved ones at home in Gibraltar at the end of their lives. The research is strongly influenced by the Compassionate Communities movement; a worldwide movement, which recognises that death, dying and bereavement affect us all and is everyone’s business. This work will be invaluable at informing our service as we develop the GHA service in the future, building on the many strong attributes of our wonderful community.'

Dr Bronwen James said, “Our GHA Specialist Palliative Care team is committed to providing a high quality service where we focus on caring for patients and their families with serious life limiting illness. Every moment matters and we are committed to delivering the best palliative care for all patients that need it in Gibraltar."

GHA Director General, Mr Kevin McGee OBE said, “I strongly support the work undertaken by our Specialist Palliative Care Team, whose heart is in everything they do, recognising the importance of early palliative care in living as well as possible for as long as possible for people with incurable disease.”

Minister for Health, the Hon Gemma Arias-Vasquez said: “I would like to thank our Specialist Palliative Care Team for all the work they do and the care they provide to facilitate and support individuals and their families during these difficult stages in their lives.”