Number of PC services FOTO:

Palliative Care services in Spain have gone from 250 in 2006 to almost 400 at present, as highlighted in the new European Palliative Care Atlas, produced by a group of European researchers under the leadership of Carlos Centeno at the University of Navarra and David Clark at Glasgow University. This publication will be presented next Thursday, 30th May, in Prague at the World Congress of Palliative Care.

The study shows that after the publication of the Ministerial Document containing the National Strategy of Palliative Care in 2007, many autonomic communities started to implement regional plans (Madrid, Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria, Baleares, Murcia, Aragon and Andalucía). According to Professor Centeno, head of the Palliative Medicine Department at the Clínica Universidad de Navarra, "despite reaching significant numbers (8 programmes per million inhabitants) in Spain we are still far from reaching levels comparable with other similar countries ".

The Atlas, promoted by the European Association of Palliative Care (EAPC), offers a comprehensive view of the services, policies and strategies aimed at improving end of life care in 53 European countries. The study concludes that the biggest concentration of palliative care services is found in Ireland and Belgium, with 18-20 services per million inhabitants. The second group is composed of countries like, United Kingdom, Sweden, Holland and Austria, with 12-16 services per million, whereas Spain lies in the third block of countries, with 8 services per million.

Teaching and legislation

On the other hand, in Spain, like the rest of Europe, the university is becoming more open to teaching Palliative Medicine, and half of the existing Medicine Schools have started courses for future clinicians. Indeed, there are 13 countries in which this subject is taught in all Medical Schools.

Nevertheless, although indicators of the "vitality" of palliative care in Spain are strong and comparable to those surrounding countries in terms of scientific meetings, publications, activity of professional associations, etc., no Specific Training Area has yet been planned for Palliative Care. In Europe there is a clear trend in this direction and the majority of Western Europe countries have approved structures (for example United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Germany, Italy Poland, Norway and as many as 14 countries in total).

The ATLAS itself shows a tendency in Europe to pass national laws for Palliative Care to ensure equality and quality in the provisions of this service. According to Professor Centeno, "in Spain legislation has been passed at the regional level (Andalucía, Aragón and Navarra) and generic laws have been established regarding patients' end of life rights; although these are not specific laws on palliative care".

As Professor David Clark, head of the Dumfries Campus and head of the School of Interdisciplinary Studies at Glasgow University, points out, "as the European population is grows older, there is growing interest in Palliative Care and in the way in which individuals are cared for at the end of their life. The Atlas is a key tool to promote policies and good practice across Europe and to aid the strategic development of new services".

The Geography department at the University of Navarra, headed by Professor Juan José Pons, has been in-charge of producing a cartographic presentation of the results, which is available through the web and as applications for mobile devices.

Notes

Two editions of the PALLIATIVE CARE ATLAS OF EUROPE are available, a cartographic edition and a complete edition. They can be downloaded at http://www.unav.es/centro/cultura-y-sociedad/

The new Atlas is also freely available as an electronic application "ICS-ATLANTES", at the platforms of electronic devices Apple-store and Google-play.

For more information on the European Society of Palliative Care Congress, see http://www.eapc-2013.org

For more information contact, Isabel Teixeira: isabeltmota@unav.es