EAPC Task Force on the Development of Palliative Care in Europe
by Dr. Carlos Centeno, Spain
The EAPC Task Force on the Development of Palliative Care (PC) in Europe started its work in 2003. In 2005, after carefully defining the work method and gathering the necessary personnel and material resources, four studies were carried out: two on published scientific literature and two international surveys focusing on understanding and evaluating the development of PC in Europe. We report here on some aspects of these surveys.
The 'FACTS' Questionnaire is specifically designed to collect data about the state of PC in each European country. It is addressed to a 'Key Person' chosen for his or her knowledge and/or publications about the development of PC in that country. The questionnaire gathers data on the number and specific kinds of PC resources, as well as data on workforce capacity and qualifications, the target population, and the financing of services. By May 10th, 2006, replies from 45/52 countries had been received (88% of the population studied).
The FACTS Questionnaire provides data that allows for a comparison of different features of the development of PC. This is a 'work in progress' but is also the best estimates we have been able to achieve on palliative care services in Europe, using all our combined efforts and sources of verification, and other published studies.
We used this data to build a graphic representation of the results and the first PC Map of Specific Resources in Europe . The Map includes the total number of services per million inhabitants in each country, as well as the proportion of existing services of each type (Domiciliary Palliative Care Teams, Support or Mobile Teams in Hospitals and Hospices). You can view the map by clicking in the following URL:
http://www.eapcnet.org/download/forTaskforces/DevelopTF-Map.pdf
Other resources available for palliative care patients as Day Centers or Nursing Homes and the resources for pediatric patients will be reported in the EAPC Atlas of Palliative Care that the Task Force will publish in the future.
Dr. Carlos Centeno
Chair EAPC Task Force Development of Palliative Care in Europe
Universidad de Navarra
Spain
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