News release

Palliative Care Strategy Advisory Committee Named

Health and Wellness

A group of experts have been named to help put the provincial palliative care strategy into action.

"Establishing this committee is an important milestone for successfully implementing the strategy," said Health and Wellness Minister Leo Glavine. "Every member of this committee has demonstrated a commitment to improving palliative care in Nova Scotia, and I have no doubt they will provide invaluable guidance as we move forward."

Creating an advisory committee was one of the recommendations of the provincial strategy, Integrated Palliative Care: Planning for Action in Nova Scotia, which was released in April 2014.

"With the advisory committee in place, we are well positioned to provide meaningful advice that will support the implementation of this strategy," said David Henderson, palliative care physician at the Colchester East Hants Health Authority and member of the committee. "I'm looking forward to continuing to advance the priorities outlined in the strategy."

The committee will provide strategic advice and expertise. The committee is expected to include two patient advisors and will begin meeting immediately.

Committee members are:

  • Cheryl Tschupruk, provincial palliative care co-ordinator and chair of the advisory committee
  • Irene Hirtle, palliative care consult nurse
  • Dianne Nickerson, palliative care social worker
  • Dr. David Henderson, palliative care physician
  • Dr. Pat Craig, family physician
  • Charlene Porter, palliative care program manager
  • Dr. Anne Frances D'Intino, palliative care physician
  • Dr. Paul McIntyre, palliative care physician
  • Dr. Fred Burge, primary care/research
  • Krista Rigby, IWK/pediatrics
  • Angus Campbell, executive director, Caregivers Nova Scotia
  • Colleen Cash, executive director of the Nova Scotia Hospice Palliative Care Association and co-chair of Quality End of Life Care Coalition of Nova Scotia
  • Donna Smith-Darrell, co-president of the Health Association of African Canadians
  • Beverley Madill, First Nations and Inuit home and community care program co-ordinator for Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador
  • Barb Goad, continuing care manager
  • Paula Withrow, continuing care, Department of Health and Wellness
  • Lisa Grandy, ex-officio, primary health care, Department of Health and Wellness
  • Meg McCallum, ex-officio, provincial manager, education and patient navigation, Cancer Care Nova Scotia
  • Tricia Cochrane, vice-president designate integrated health services program primary health care and population health, provincial health authority
  • Dr. James MacKillop, family physician
  • Gordon Wilson, MLA for Clare-Digby
  • Anna Goski, palliative care volunteer co-ordinator

Comprehensive palliative care aims to improve quality of life for patients with life-limiting illnesses. It can take place in the patient's home, long-term and residential care, hospital, a residential hospice facility and other settings.

The strategy will increase collaboration among health professionals and community support organizations and advance palliative care in the province.

The strategy is available at http://novascotia.ca/dhw/palliativecare .