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IHF Statement on HSE establishing Children’s Palliative Care Advisory Group

 

Dr Fiona McElligott with Sharon Foley, IHF CEO

The Irish Hospice Foundation (IHF) is today welcoming the news the HSE is in the process of establishing a Children’s Palliative Care Advisory Group to replace the former National Advisory Committee on Children’s Palliative Care.The main purpose of the group will be to advise and assist the HSE in the development of children’s palliative care in line with national policy.

The IHF has funded 85% of the first phase of the Children’s Palliative Care Programme to date and also currently funds the post of Consultant Paediatrician with a special interest in Palliative Care at Temple Street Children’s University Hospital. Dr Fiona McElligott was appointed to the position last year.

The IHF Is part of a coalition of children’s palliative care service providers and consultants in specialist paediatric palliative care who have been calling for further action on children’s palliative care.

One of the coalition’s key priorities in their Pre-Budget Submission 2019 was the re-establishment of a National Development Committee to drive the implementation of national policy.

Speaking today, CEO of the IHF, Sharon Foley, who has been invited to be part of the Advisory Group said: “This is very welcome news and is a positive step towards ensuring action in providing appropriate palliative care for the 4000 children living with life-limiting illnesses and their families in Ireland today.  The Irish Hospice Foundation has a long record of proactive intervention to support policy implementation in Children’s Palliative Care.  I very much look forward to continuing in partnership with my fellow group members, the HSE, Department of Health and others.  Together we can enable the provision of excellent services for these children and their families and the care that they both need and deserve.’

For more information on the IHF’s work on Children’s Palliative Care, go here.  

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