‘If DOH utilised hospices it would ease pressure on public hospitals’ – APCC CEO

CapeTalk’s Clarence Ford speaks with Tersia Burger, Interim CEO of the Association of Palliative Care Centres (APCC) and CEO of Stepping Stone Hospice.

Listen below:

Hospices play an important role in our society, providing palliative care to those in need.

This year, the Association of Palliative Care Centres (APCC) reflects on the journey from the inception of hospices, to the current palliative care landscape that looks after those in need.

South African hospices provide vital resources to those with and without medical insurance, through self-funding activities with limited formal financial support.

Burger says hospices and the palliative care space have come a long way, but suffered terrible losses due to Covid-19.

In 2013 there were close to 200 hospices around the country, and now they are down to 70.

However, she says these 70 facilities run incredibly well and offer consistent professional care to their patients.

RELATED: Palliative care workers stress the need for in-patient facilities

To continue to provide the care that their patients deserve, Burger says the sector needs the department of health to work with them.

“If the Department of Health utilised us and our skillset, it would take a lot of pressure off the national hospitals.”

- Tersia Burger, Interim CEO - Association of Palliative Care Centres 

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