Each health district in the UK aims to provide services for cancer patients from the time of diagnosis to death. The role of the palliative care unit in district-based cancer management is still developing. This paper presents data which were part of an informal study investigating areas of uncertainty, dissatisfaction and controversy perceived by both patients and health-care professionals about local services for patients with breast cancer within a single health district. In this report we consider attitudes to the provision of terminal care for these patients and discuss implications for the integration of a palliative care unit in district-based cancer management.
North West Thames Regional Health Authority.A review of cancer treatment provided in the North West Thames Region. May 1987.
2.
Leslie M., Maher EJ, Shorey B., Ashby J.A survey of the management of breast cancer and attitudes to it in one health district (Abstract). In: Proceedings of the Fourth Meeting of the British Oncology Association, June 1989.
3.
Maher EJ, Dische S., Grosche E., Fermont D., Saunders M., Ashford R.Who gets radiotherapy? A survey of all cases treated at a regional centre for clinical oncology. Health Trends1990 (in press).
4.
Kemp L., Whisker S., Maher EJA prospective study of nausea and vomiting associated with cytototoxic chemotherapy at a regional centre for radiotherapy and oncology (Abstract). In: Proceedings of ECCO, Madrid, 1986.
5.
North West Thames Regional Health Authority.Regional strategy: towards a strategy for the dying and bereaved. December 1987.
6.
Cartwright A. , Hockey L., Anderson JLLife before death. London : Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1973 .
7.
Dunlop RJ, Davies RJ, Hockley JMPreferred versus actual place of death: a hospital palliative care support team experience. Palliative Medicine1989; 3: 197-201.
