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Curriculum
Vitae
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Mission
Statement
The
European Association for Palliative Care (EAPC) has its primary goal to develop
and disseminate palliative care at a scientific, clinical and social level. We
are an interdisciplinary organisation, all caregivers, independent upon profession or nationality, are welcome
to join at all levels.
Rapid
changes have been seen in health care during the latest
decades with a growing elderly population, which means
more people in need of palliative care. Furthermore,
Europe is changing, the European Union (EU) has become
very important in giving the premises in health care
in general and in health care research specifically.
At the same time many new Eastern European countries
are joining EU and our organisation, the EAPC.
The
EAPC Board has during its last four year period worked towards a structure of
giving more people the opportunity to join into our activities and also to
support our members with knowledge, skills and information. The overall aim is
to improve palliative care for all. From 1999 to end of 2002 the number of
Associations collective members of EAPC increased from 20 to 28.
Every
second year we will organise our major interdisciplinary
international conference, which in all practical
terms is "The World Congress of Palliative
Care". The research congress, which we now
have defined rather as a forum with a limited number
of participants, focus only on research in palliative
care. This is done in order to prevent a competition
between the two events.
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Professor Stein Kaasa
University Hospital of Trondheim
Palliative Medicine Unit
Olav Kyrres gt. 17
7006 Trondheim
NORWAY.
Tel: +47 73 867251.
Fax: +47 73 867289/867255.
E-mail: stein.kaasa@medisin.ntnu.no
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We
have developed a structure of Task Forces (click
for more information) with the aim to actively support
work on focused subjects for a limited amount of
time and for all interested members to join in.
For the time being the following main themes are:
Ethics (Euthanasia and Physician Assisted Suicide),
Standards in palliative care, Education (both nursing,
medical and interdisciplinary), Elderly and palliative
care and Development of palliative care in Eastern
Europe. The EAPC Research Network is active in development
of review papers and lately to conduct empirical
studies. In its last meeting the EAPC Board of Directors
decided to also to facilitate/promote initiatives
for Palliative Care for Children.
The
European Journal of Palliative Care (EJPC) is our
official since 1994 and well acknowledged by our
members, and also non-members. We are given more
attention lately to improve communication with our
members by mean of a continuous update of our web
site. Finally, EAPC have formalised a collaboration
with Palliative Medicine, the leading journal in
palliative care in Europe. The journal has become
the official research journal of EAPC, while EJPC
remains the official journal of our organisation.
Funding
for professional development in palliative care
and research is crucial. EU is the main resource
for such funds. During our last Board meeting in
January this year it was decided to allocate resources
in order to make palliative care more visible in
the base documents of EU, which give directions
for support in the future projects.
Being
responsible for these and many other initiatives
in EAPC I have decided to stand for re-election
for a new period of four years. I will commit myself
to continue the work within the direction given
by the sitting Board and hopefully within the new
Board of Directors.
Some
of my priorities will be (in a none ranged order):
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The
overall aim is to improve palliative care for
all, “one voice - on vision” across
Europe.
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Communication
and information about palliative care to the society
in general and to politicians specifically.
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Further
develop EAPC recommendations on professional education
in palliative care, both undergraduate and postgraduate.
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Develop
updated standards of palliative care for Europe.
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Improve
palliative care, specifically for the elderly
(geriatric) population with and without cancer,
and for the paediatric population.
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Improve
the quality and quantity of palliative care research.
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Work
for continuos development of EAPC as an interdisciplinary
organisation.
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