A major part of the service provided to sarcoma patients is supportive care, symptom control, and palliative care.
At UCLH the sarcoma team are very well-supported by an excellent Enhanced Supportive Care team who provide advice and support for patients with life limiting disease. The remit of the team is to help manage and support any patients with complex symptom control, to avoid hospital admission and to liaise with teams in the community. Dr Michaella McCoy (GPwSI Palliative Care) and Caroline Williams (Lead Clinical Nurse Specialist) attend the UCLH sarcoma clinics on Fridays and review patients as appropriate.
At RNOH patients are referred to local specialist palliative care services when it is appropriate to do so for complex symptom control, psychological support and end of life care. The sarcoma team at RNOH work closely and in partnership with local teams supporting patients. The RNOH team have undergone specialist training in end of life care and are developing resources further. They hope to have fixed sessions each week with a specialist palliative care physician in the near future. An end of life care policy has recently been developed to ensure patients and their families receive the best care during the last months and days of their life.
