The Programme for the Comprehensive Care of People with Advanced Illnesses receives an international award
The International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care (IAHPC), a global platform dedicated to the development and optimisation of palliative care, has awarded the Programme for the Comprehensive Care of People with Advanced Diseases of the "la Caixa" Foundation the Institutional Recognition Award 2024, shared with the Chair of Palliative Care of the UVic-UCC.
This is an award that distinguishes institutions with outstanding dedication in the field of palliative care. The Programme has been awarded for its outstanding commitment to the development and delivery of palliative care to improve the quality of life of patients with advanced diseases suffering from serious health problems.
Specifically, the IAHPC has recognised the results obtained in terms of care during the 15 years of the "la Caixa" Foundation Programme, highlighting its impact on the well-being of people at the end of life through excellent psychosocial and spiritual care, as well as its contribution in other areas such as training, research and awareness-raising.
With headquarters in Houston, Texas (USA) and members from all over the world, the IAHPC is one of the most relevant institutions at a global level for its work in the promotion, education, research and dissemination of information in the field of palliative care.
IAHPC Executive Director Liliana De Lima said: "We are delighted to present the IAHPC Recognition Awards programme, which celebrates the work of these institutions in advancing palliative care and alleviating the suffering of patients and their families. We are very grateful to all the institutions that participated this year for their contribution and commitment to palliative care in their countries and regions. We are also grateful to the judges of the selection committee, who reviewed the many excellent nominations and had a hard job in selecting the winners".
Dr. Steven Radwany, one of the accreditation experts who served on the jury, said of the high score the "la Caixa" Foundation programme received: "It is a unique model of providing spiritual and psychosocial support, and, through the palliative care teams, they have undertaken continuous improvement by identifying gaps in patient care while providing powerful education in their model of care. The programme is also an agent of change: there are agreements with policy makers, managers, organisations and health institutions, with follow-up sessions to share results and challenges.
In this regard, the Deputy Director General of the "la Caixa" Foundation, Marc Simón, expressed his gratitude for the recognition, pointing out that "this programme makes it possible for people at the end of life and their families to have psychosocial and spiritual support that complements health care and allows them to live this last stage with more peace and serenity. This Programme contributes to developing the mission of the "la Caixa" Foundation to build a better and fairer society, giving opportunities to the people who need them most, with the values of trust, excellence and social commitment that have always accompanied it".
Xavier Gómez-Batiste, scientific director of the programme, explained that the project was born to provide a universal response to the emotional needs of people at the end of their lives: "Some time ago we identified that everything related to the psychosocial and spiritual needs of people at the end of their lives was underdeveloped". "These aspects, which include the big questions about the meaning of life, psychological adaptation to the disease and social support for families, are fundamental to people's well-being during the illness and can prevent much unnecessary suffering," he concludes.
A pioneering programme in constant innovation
The "la Caixa" Foundation's Programme for the Comprehensive Care of People with Advanced Illnesses, promoted by the Ministry of Health and the Departments of Health of the Autonomous Communities, is implemented through 65 organisations in the social and healthcare field. The Programme consolidates its mission of complementing the current model of care for people at the end of their lives to cover different psychosocial aspects: the emotional, social and spiritual sphere of the patient and their family as well as attention to bereavement and support for palliative care professionals.
Since its launch in 2008, more than 680,000 people have been assisted in Spain: 301,572 patients and 385,743 relatives, intervening in healthcare centres, home teams in the areas of influence and residences, through the Psychosocial Care Teams (EAPS) made up of psychologists, social workers, nurses, doctors, pastoral agents and volunteers. It is currently implemented in 153 health centres, 173 home teams and 165 homes throughout Spain.