Episode 24. Palliative Care with Dr Sally McDonald
In this episode, we talk with experienced general practitioner Dr Sally McDonald who has committed a large part of her time, energy and emotion providing palliative care for her local community. Palliative care is care focused on improving the quality of life for people and families with serious illnesses, directed at treating the symptoms of the patient, support for patient’s families and loved ones and aligning care with patient’s preferences, values and goals. Professor Ian Maddocks, a palliative care specialist, said “sometimes I think it’s better to step back and say you don’t need all that procedural stuff, what you need is good care now. You are going to die, let’s do it well.”
Along this theme Sally discusses:
· How she approaches palliative care from the perspective of the patient and family
· Treatment choices
· Services that can provide support
I am most grateful to Sally for her conversation with us. Please join this interesting episode.
Useful references include:
- lakesidesquaremedical.com.au
- Palliative Care Victoria
- www.aph.gov.au
To be a guest on the show or provide some feedback, I’d love to hear from you: manager@gihealth.com.au
Dr Luke Crantock MBBS, FRACP, is a gastroenterologist in practice for over 25 years. He is the founder of The Centre for GI Health, based in Melbourne Australia and is passionate about educating General Practitioners and patients on disease prevention and how to manage and improve their digestive health.