[Organisation of palliative care in and outside hospital]

Abstract

Patients with advanced, incurable disease need easy access to qualified care. Basic palliative care should be provided in all clinical hospital departments and in community care. In addition, palliative care units in hospitals and nursing homes, and ambulatory, multidisciplinary, palliative care teams have a supportive role by providing teaching, advice, and care, also in primary care. The regional palliative care centres in university hospitals are important centres for research, skills building, and developmental work, in addition to the management of the most complex patients. Palliative care requires much collaboration, and the general practitioner has an important role. In addition, hospital-based palliative care teams are important bridges between the different levels of the health care system. The Norwegian Standard for Palliative Care gives recommendations for the organisation of palliative care at all levels, and forms the basis for this article.