Published on: May 2, 2013

The newsletter from APLI also introduces us to the document from EAPC – 10 core competencies for palliative care professionals.

They are:

1. Apply the core constituents of palliative care in the setting where patients and families are based
2. Enhance physical comfort throughout patients’ disease trajectories
3. Meet patients’ psychological needs
4. Meet patients’ social needs
5. Meet patients’ spiritual needs
6. Respond to the needs of family carers in relation to short-, medium- and long-term patient care goals
7. Respond to the challenges of clinical and ethical decision-making in palliative care
8. Practise comprehensive care co-ordination and interdisciplinary teamwork across all settings where palliative care is offered
9. Develop interpersonal and communication skills appropriate to palliative care
10. Practise self-awareness and undergo continuing professional development

We think this is a great document for all palliative care institutions to remember, particularly those that teach the subject.

And we can stop with the ten in the context of the developed world perhaps, but for the developing world (remember, it is 80% of the world), we would add two more:

• Acquire and apply managerial skills.
• Acquire and apply advocacy skills – both media and Governmental advocacy.

We think these are particularly important in the developing world situation where the palliative care champion is equipped with a lot of desire to help others, some professional knowledge and very little else.