Assistance for Upper Hunter palliative care patients

20 November 2009

The generous donation of three Nikki T Pumps to the Upper Hunter Palliative Care Service will greatly benefit palliative care patients who want to remain in their own homes.

A Nikki T Pump is used to administer medication, particularly pain medication, to palliative care patients.

The Muswellbrook United Hospital Auxiliary has kindly donated two of the pumps and the Scone Cancer Support Group has donated a third.

Upper Hunter Community Health Service Nurse Unit Manager Pearl O’Hara said the pumps were worth $2500 each.

“This is an extremely generous donation and we are very grateful to both the Muswellbrook Hospital Auxiliary and the Scone Cancer Support Group,” Ms O’Hara said.

“If a patient who is receiving palliative care wishes to remain at home, the pumps allow our palliative care nurses to deliver the medication over a 24-hour period,” she said.

“This greatly assists the patient’s comfort, particularly if they are unable to tolerate taking oral medication.

“It also allows them to provide a prolonged period of pain medication coverage, whereas without the pumps the medication would need to be administered at more regular intervals.”

Ms O’Hara said the pumps would have the enormous benefit of assisting people to remain comfortable in their own homes where they can be surrounded by family.

The Upper Hunter Palliative Care Service is a valuable service consisting of two palliative care nurses, who provide care seven days per week.

They assist patients receiving palliative care with management of their symptoms and provide support for both the patient and their family.

“We are very thankful for the support of our community and it is donations such as these that go a long way to helping us provide quality patient care,” Ms O’Hara said.

Contact: Shannon Ramadge

Phone: 02 6767 7136