Frequently asked questions
Living with a serious illness can bring many questions, both for patients and for the people who care about them. Here we answer some of the questions commonly asked about palliative care: what it is, when it may be helpful, what support it can offer, and how it fits alongside other medical treatment. If you are looking for palliative care for yourself or someone you care for, you can also find a trained palliative care provider in South Africa.
Any person with symptoms resulting from a serious illness would benefit from Palliative care.
Serious illness describes a broad range of medical conditions, such as cancer, AIDS, multi-drug resistant TB (MDR-TB), severe heart, lung, kidney and liver diseases and progressive neurological conditions.
Serious illnesses are typically life-threatening, negatively affect quality of life and are associated with potentially burdensome symptoms and stress.
Palliative Care is appropriate for any patient with a serious illness, at any age and at any stage, and can be provided alongside curative treatment.
In fact, there is recent good evidence that shows that people who access Palliative Care early on, have less anxiety and depression and enjoy a better quality of life.
- A careful assessment of the problems caused by the serious illness.
- A discussion of the options for managing these problems based on the preferences of the ill person and the family.
- Providing expert advice with appropriate medication.
- Coordinating the care of these troublesome symptoms.
- Careful follow-up to ensure progress in achieving the best quality of life.
- Access to advice based on the best evidence available through our network of national Palliative Care experts.
For patients struggling with symptoms such as pain, nausea and vomiting, constipation or diarrhoea, depression, anxiety or fatigue, doctors and nurses can help. They assess these symptoms and offer appropriate medical advice and treatment. The aim is to help patients remain as active as possible and improve their quality of life.Patients and families may also need help understanding what to expect or knowing which questions to ask. Difficult medical decisions can be hard to navigate. Someone with palliative care expertise can take the time to talk these through. Exploring a patient’s goals, priorities and wishes can help guide treatment decisions.Counsellors and psychologists can provide individual, family or group counselling and therapy. Social workers can offer practical, social and family support. Spiritual care practitioners can provide spiritual support.Physiotherapists, occupational therapists and dietitians may also be involved when needed.Palliative Care is every health care provider’s responsibility.
Where more specific expertise is required, a specialised team of Palliative Care trained doctors, nurses, social workers and/or counsellors is available. This team will work in close collaboration with your oncologist/physician/surgeon/general practitioner to provide an extra layer of support.
Palliative Care is a developing field in South Africa; there are established Palliative Care teams in most major centres. New teams are also being developed in several areas.
We are keen to collaborate and support health professionals throughout South Africa who would like to improve their skills in Palliative Care. We have an active discussion forum for sharing ways of managing complicated problems.
Modern technology has great potential to link patients and health professionals throughout most of the country.
This care can be offered wherever the patient is. Support may be provided in hospital, including in the ICU, in an outpatient clinic, or in a doctor’s consulting rooms. When appropriate, it can also be provided in the patient’s home.
Most medical schemes recognise the value of palliative care, and some have introduced specific palliative care benefits for their members. Access to these benefits usually requires a motivation from a doctor.
The South African government has endorsed World Health Assembly Resolution 67.19 (2014), which calls for access to palliative care for all who need it. As of August 2026, South Africa’s National Policy Framework and Strategy on Palliative Care (2017–2022) is under review. Implementation has, however, been slow, with very limited palliative care services available within hospitals.
APCC hospices have therefore carried much of the responsibility for providing community-based palliative care, with a large proportion of their funding still coming from donors and fundraising.
