Ottawa – Palliative care is a critical part of Canada’s health care system as it helps improve the quality of life for as long as possible. For many that means care at home or in the communities where they live. In 2022, more than half of Canadians received palliative care before the end of their lives. The Government of Canada is committed to helping Canadians access quality home and community care and palliative care.
Mark Holland, Minister of Health, announced more than $2.1 million in funding over three years to the Canadian Home Care Association (CHCA) to improve the quality of home-based palliative care through the eiCOMPASS project. This funding will support the development of training and tools to equip health workers and caregivers with the knowledge and skills they need to incorporate palliative care competencies into their daily practice.
The eiCOMPASS project aims to encourage the adoption of the Canadian Interdisciplinary Palliative Care Competency Framework. The project will bring together a network of partners in 12 home-based palliative care settings across Canada to encourage the adoption of the Framework. The Framework will serve as a guiding document for health care providers to develop competencies to support people who want to remain at home to receive palliative care, and for provinces and territories to build or implement their own competency frameworks. This will ultimately result in better patient and caregiver experiences. The Government of Canada is working with provinces and territories, people living with serious illness, caregivers, stakeholders, and communities to improve the quality and availability of palliative care for Canadians.
“Canadians nearing the end of their lives deserve to be treated with respect, compassion, and dignity. This Government of Canada funding will help the Canadian Home Care Association get more health workers and caregivers the tools and resources to provide quality palliative care to Canadians. Together with provinces, territories and our partners, we are working to get Canadians the care they need.” – Mark Holland, Canada’s Minister of Health