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Posterpresentation of the Networkmodel for the Regional Centre of Excellence for Palliative Care, Western Norway

Background
As part of the Norwegian National Cancer Plan (1999-2003), five regional centres of excellence for palliative care have been established, one in each of Norway's five health care regions.
The government has assigned these centres to research, education, and teaching, and given them a role in coordinating, promoting and developing palliative care in their respective regions.

The Western Norway Health Care Region covers 86 locals communities and has a population of 960 000. The region has 10 somatic hospitals and is divided into four administrative areas.

     
Western Norway has about 2,100 cancer deaths per year. It is estimated that at any one time approximately 4,500 cancer patients, in addition to patients with other advanced, life-threatening diseases, need access to palliative care services.

Palliative care is provided as an integrated part of the official health care system, which includes a small number of specialized palliative care programs.

Organization
Our centre was established 01.01.2001. It is organized with a central unit for research and education at the regional University Hospital in Bergen, connected to a multidisciplinary network of part-time clinical co-workers.

These doctors, nurses, physiotherapist, pastor and social worker are recruited from palliative care activity in local hospitals and primary care. They have one day a week devoted to research, teaching, advisory or developmental work in palliative care, and cover the districts of Western Norway. The team members also have a special responsibility for promoting the aims of palliative care within their own health care professions.