Regional Palliative Care Networks support and improve hospice palliative care at the local level. They provide leadership and structure to help develop a comprehensive, integrated and coordinated system of hospice palliative care. They help put into action the provincial vision for hospice palliative care as outlined in the following documents:
Ontario Palliative Care Network Action Plan
Governance Structure
Each regional network has its own governance structure. The names of these structures vary across regions. Each regional governance structure is jointly accountable to their region’s regional lead for Ontario Health and to the Regional Cancer Program vice president. In turn, they are both accountable to the Ontario Palliative Care Network’s Executive Oversight for the regional network.
Each regional network is supported by a director and 2 regional palliative care multidisciplinary clinical co-leads (part-time).
Regional Palliative Care Network Director
The director is responsible for collaborating with local partners to improve hospice palliative care across all patient populations, illness trajectories, and health care settings.
Regional Palliative Care Multidisciplinary Clinical Co-Leads
One part-time lead is a physician and member in good standing with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario. The other part-time lead is a member in good standing of a discipline falling under the Regulated Health Professionals Act. For example, an occupational therapist, registered nurse, nurse practitioner or pharmacist.
Together, the regional director and the regional clinical co-leads develop and implement the regional palliative care work plan. To do so, they collaborate with the regional governance structure and other health care system partners.
To understand how the Ontario Palliative Care Network governance structure is organized at the provincial level, visit Provincial Leadership and Governance.
To connect with the Regional Palliative Care Network in your region, please contact us.