Palliative care network

What is a Managed Clinical Network (MCN)?

An MCN is a linked group of health professionals and organisations across different sections of the health service. The aim of the MCN is to bring these different health professionals and organisations together and help them work in a more co-ordinated manner without restrictions. This will ensure that the same high quality care is delivered to all patients living in Lanarkshire. This will ensure the same high quality care is delivered to all patients living in Lanarkshire

The Palliative Care MCN is led by Lead Palliative Care Clinician/GP Facilitator Dr Rosalie Dunn who has been awarded an MBE for her work founding and overseeing The Haven in Blantyre, a drop in centre offering complete support to people with palliative care needs.

There is a large Steering Group which meets every three months and discusses how they can improve the service available to people with palliative care needs in Lanarkshire. The Steering Group comprises palliative care specialists/health professionals from the hospices, hospitals and the community (GPs, head district nurses, lead pharmacist, Macmillan and Marie Curie team leaders, representatives from The Haven in Blantyre, The Little Haven in Forth, the Dalziel Centre in Motherwell, the Kilbryde Day Hospice in East Kilbride and Maggie's Lanarkshire in Wishaw), patients and carers, spiritual and bereavement counsellors.

The Palliative Care Executive Group meets once a month and the Clinical Governance every three months and they make decisions to improve the level of care offered by NHS Lanarkshire based on the discussions at the Steering Group meetings.

The MCN is currently working on implementing the Scottish Government's Living and Dying Well action plan with phase one of the delivery plan now in place and phase two due to be completed by end September 2009.

For more information on any of the above or details of NHS Lanarkshire's palliative care services, please contact:

Dr Helen Alexander
Network Manager
or
Fiona Young
Network Co-ordinator