Rachael Hamilton MSP met with representatives of PATCH, a charity supporting the improvement of palliative care across Scotland.
PATCH is the first charity specifically to support 24/7 specialist palliative care for patients in Scottish hospitals. They will do this by funding hospitals to provide resources such as dedicated beds, staff, advisory services and research. Many patients in hospital who have pain or complex symptoms do not have access to a palliative care specialist. PATCH is committed to changing this.
One quarter of all admissions to a hospital, have palliative care needs. PATCH is already working with hospices including the Margaret Kerr Unit in the Borders.
Across the Borders, people have been getting involved raising money and awareness of the work done by PATCH. £8000 was raised in Melrose at a dinner organised by Friends of PATCH who teamed up with Doddie Weir; £3300 was raised from a concert near Ancrum during October; £2000 was raised by a Borders bake sale, and £2330 was raised at a December lunch with a £1500 donation from The Dragonfly Agency.
Ms Hamilton has written to the Health Secretary Jeane Freeman to ask for more to be done to support palliative care, given the benefits it brings to patients.
Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire MSP, Rachael Hamilton said:
“The work PATCH is carrying out is life-saving and vitally important work in the field of palliative care.
“Most hospitals have a palliative care team which advises the patient's consultant but does not have overall responsibility for the patient's care. The PATCH model can bring benefits for patients, families, staff and the hospital.
“Meeting with Dr Gordon Patterson and Dr Pamela Levack was fascinating and really highlighted the excellent work that the volunteers carry out”
“I have written to the Health Secretary to ask her to take on board some of the recommendations that PATCH have to change palliative care for the better”.