Almost 500 patients have already received support through the island-wide home palliative care programme
A service that can make a difficult time slightly easier for patients and their families is now available across all basic health areas in Tenerife.
The home palliative care programme, run by Primary Care Management, has been fully rolled out across the island after starting in Santiago del Teide and Guía de Isora in October 2024.
Since then, almost 500 patients have received palliative care in their own homes.
Support where people live
The programme is designed to allow patients to remain in their familiar surroundings when their medical situation makes that appropriate.
The team currently consists of 17 professionals, including:
- 8 doctors
- 8 nurses
- 1 social worker
There is also a dedicated telephone line for patients and families who need advice about their clinical situation or symptoms.
The service currently focuses on cancer patients receiving palliative care, working alongside local health centres, emergency services and the palliative care teams at the University Hospitals of Nuestra Señora de Candelaria and the Canary Islands.
More than medical care
The aim isn’t simply to manage symptoms.
Home visits can help with symptom control, treatment adjustments and emotional support, while also providing families with professional guidance during what can be an incredibly difficult period.
Keeping someone at home, surrounded by familiar people and surroundings, can make a considerable difference when hospital care isn’t medically necessary.
The service could be expanded
The Ministry of Health also plans to extend the programme beyond cancer patients.
The next step is to include people living with advanced chronic illnesses who could benefit from receiving palliative support at home.
The full rollout means families across Tenerife now have access to this additional level of support without the service being limited to particular parts of the island.