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Strategic Priority 5: Palliative and End-of-Life Care

Priorities and Actions 

Improve capacity of system to provide timely, high-quality and culturally safe palliative and end of life care for Indigenous patients with cancer and their families 
  • Continue to work with Indigenous communities and health system partners, including the Ontario Palliative Care Network and Regional Palliative Care Network, to ensure Indigenous peoples have a voice in the delivery of palliative and end-of-life care services 
Support strategies to improve and enhance patient and family experience within the cancer system 
  • Continue to support patient navigation through palliative and end-of-life care
  • Support the development of tools, resources, networking and training to provide caregivers with additional support
  • Support the inclusion of Indigneous patient and family voices in existing or new Patient and Family Advisory Committees
  • Incorporate the meaning of palliative care from an Indigenous perspective into palliative care initiatives 

Regional Indigenous Cancer Plan Priorities and Actions

  • Identify opportunities to promote services of Indigenous Navigator within SW RCP (cancer centre and partner hospitals), Ontario Health West and FNIMuI communities
  • Continue to work with and build supportive relationships with patients and families and help FNIMuI patients navigate the cancer system  
  • Promote and facilitate access to culturally-safe and culturally sensitive care on- and off-site (e.g., referrals to Indigenous Palliative Care Outreach Team)  
  • To advocate for culturally safe palliative care
  • Promote the use of assessment tools and appropriate interventions for FNIMuI cancer patients (e.g., Edmonton Symptom Assessment System)
  • Disseminate “Tools for the Journey” educational materials for First Nations,Inuit and Métis people with cancer and their families  
  • Support the needs of patients travelling within the region (i.e., NIHB program) as well identifying networks of support (referrals to other navigators) for those travelling from the South West to other regions 

Anticipated Benefits to Indigenous Communities  

  • Improved understanding of regional Indigenous palliative care needs
  • Enhanced support frameworks for Indigenous patients and their families, including spiritual care and social work 

Regional Indigenous Cancer Plan Overview

Go back to the South West Regional Cancer Plans landing page.