18 March 2008

Duke-NUS launches Asia's first Palliative Care Research Centre

LAUNCH OF CENTRE: (from left) Dr Jeremy Lim, Director, Policy & Research, SingHealth; Dr Ranga Krishnan, Executive Vice Dean, Duke-NUS; Mr Lee Poh Wan, Programme Director, Lien Foundation; Dr Cynthia Goh, Centre Director, Lien Centre for Palliative Care.

The lack of knowledge and trained healthcare professionals in palliative care for terminal patients is a pressing issue for Singapore with its ageing population. To guide the development of the healthcare service which focuses on reducing suffering and pain, the Duke-NUS Medical School (Duke-NUS) has collaborated with the Lien Foundation to establish the Lien Centre for Palliative Care -- Asia's first research and training centre for end-of-life care.

For a start, the Centre will study the cultural differences in attitudes and beliefs in dying. Finding out what people want in their last stage of life will enable the Centre to develop better palliative service in Singapore. It will tap on the research capabilities of Duke-NUS, with support from the National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS) and Singapore Health Services (SingHealth). 

The Centre will also provide healthcare professional education and development. Besides pain management skills, doctors, nurses as well as allied health care professionals will be trained in soft skills to help them to become a better listener, and learn how to conduct medical examinations in a dignified and respectful manner for the patients.

The Centre will be headed by Director Dr Cynthia Goh, a faculty member of Duke-NUS and veteran palliative care pioneer and medical specialist.

The Lien Foundation initiated the setting up of the Centre with a $7.5 million commitment over a period of five years, which will be matched dollar-for-dollar by the Singapore government.

Said Dr Cynthia Goh: "For the first time, real resources have been set aside for research and education. Up till now, those activities have been largely carried out by professionals working as volunteers in their spare time on a limited budget. We endeavour to live up to the trust the Lien Foundation has put in us, to use these resources in generating and disseminating knowledge that has a real impact on the lives of our patients."

The Centre will be located at the National Cancer Centre Singapore to foster close collaboration with clinicians caring for patients, to leverage on the vibrant academic and research biomedical science community, and on resources at the campus in the vicinity.