Introduction
NCCS is the first institution to establish a Department of Palliative Medicine in Singapore and in the Southeast Asia region. Palliative Medicine is the discipline which works to improve the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problems associated with life-threatening illness. Its core expertise include the management of pain and other distressing symptoms caused by the disease or its treatment, regardless of the stage and type of disease.
Common conditions dealt with include cancer at any stage where symptoms are troublesome, HIV/AIDS, and advanced stages of neurological disease, kidney, heart, lung and liver failure. Palliative care is often given together with therapies that control or slow down disease progression, including attempts at curative treatment where the rates of success are not good. A holistic approach is taken. Attention is given to the practical arrangements of providing care at the place of the patient's choice, which is often in his own home, and the social, spiritual and emotional needs of the patient and the care-givers.
The Department of Palliative Medicine at NCCS conducts specialist clinics three times weekly at NCCS and once a week at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH). It runs consultative palliative care services for patients from all disciplines in Singapore General Hospital (SGH), and for gynaeoncology and paediatric patients at KKH. These services provide pain and symptom management for patients with advanced disease, gives psychosocial support for families and help plan for seamless care at home and at other care institutions.
An important area of the Department’s work is teaching and networking within the Asia Pacific region. The Department spearheaded the formation of the Asia Pacific Hospice Palliative Care Network (APHN), comprising individuals and organisations working in palliative care from 22 countries to promote the development of the specialty in the region. The APHN secretariat is located in the department. |
Staffing
The Department is staffed by 1 senior consultant, 2 consultants, 1 resident physician, 1 medical officer, 2 clinical associates and two nurse clinicians. Together with 1 senior medical social worker from the Department of Psychosocial Medicine, NCCS, these form the core interdisciplinary team providing palliative care at SGH.
The department frequently hosts Visiting Fellows and observers from other agencies in Singapore and from the region.
Palliative Medicine Subspecialties
Palliative Medicine has been recognized as a medical subspecialty in Singapore since 2006. Entry to subspecialty training may be via Internal Medicine, Geriatric Medicine, Paediatric Medicine, Medical Oncology, or Family Medicine. For further information, please contact the Chairman of the Subspecialty Training Committee (SSTC), Dr Cynthia Goh at:
Department of Palliative Medicine
National Cancer Centre
11 Hospital Drive, Singapore 169610
Tel: (65) 64368183 / Fax: (65) 62207490
Areas of subspecialization within Palliative Medicine include cancer care, HIV/AIDS care, paediatric palliative care and end-organ failure, such as renal and heart failure. |
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Latest Palliative Medicine Advances
Management of Pain in Palliative Care
The incidence of pain in patients with cancer increases with stage of disease. In patients with advanced cancer, 60 to 90% have pain. Up to 81% have pain at 2 or more sites, with one-third of patients reporting pain in 4 or more sites.
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The Department supports community Palliative Care services by providing teaching, consultation, and taking part in ward rounds and team meetings at Bright Vision Hospital and Metta Hospice Care. Staff from the Department participate as faculty on courses run by the Singapore Hospice Council. The Department welcome the sharing of care with the patients’ family physicians.
Training Programmes
The Department provides clinical attachments for medical students on electives, local and overseas doctors on clinical fellowships and local and overseas nurses. It organises and runs the Graduate Certificate I (Palliative Care) of Flinders University for doctors and nurses from the Southeast Asia region in a collaboration between NCCS and Flinders University. This is the first interdisciplinary university course in palliative care in Singapore. The programme specially designed in response to the growing demand and need for palliative care locally and within the region. The Graduate Certificate I (Palliative Care) is a one-year programme which provides a structured and evidence-based framework for trainees to understand holistic care of people living with life- limiting illnesses. It includes modules on clinical assessment and management of commonly encountered symptoms as well as skills for communication on sensitive issues in the palliative care context.
Application Form
Scholarships and Fellowships available: |
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Lien Foundation-APHN Palliative Care Fellowship For Foreign Doctors
Lien Foundation-Singapore Hospice Council Palliative Care Medical Scholarship
Lien Foundation-Singapore Hospice Council Palliative Care Nursing Scholarship
Graduate Certificate I (Palliative Care), Flinders University
Scholarship and Fellowship Application Form
Clinical Fellowships in Palliative Care at NCCS
Interested parties can contact:
Department of Palliative Medicine
National Cancer Centre
11 Hospital Drive, Singapore 169610
Tel: (65) 64368183 / Fax: (65) 62207490
E-mail: Delphi.Khiew.K.L@nccs.com.sg
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Research
Two areas of research include the development and validation of quality of life instruments in cancer care, and looking into how genetic differences in the morphine (mu-opioid) receptor in the Singapore population may affect patients’ responses to the drug. |
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