Mainz Children’s Palliative Care Team Faces Collapse Amid Staffing Shortages
The vital outpatient service providing critical care for seriously ill children and young peopel in the Rhineland-Palatinate region is at risk of shutting down due to a severe lack of nursing personnel.
Mainz, Germany – A dedicated team providing essential palliative care to children and young people in their homes is facing an uncertain future as a critical shortage of nursing staff threatens it’s very existence. The children’s palliative care team, serving a large area of Rhineland-Palatinate, is urgently appealing for support to avoid a devastating disruption to care.
“It would be terrible for everyone involved if this vital offer had to be discontinued,” says Carola Weber, the medical director of the Children’s palliative teams Mainz and a co-founder of the service, originally established four years ago under the name “iMPaKT.”
since its inception, Weber and her team have provided complete outpatient care to over 40 seriously and terminally ill children and young people annually, allowing them to remain in the comfort of their homes. The Mainz Hospice is responsible for the operation of the palliative care team.
The team’s reach extends far beyond Mainz, encompassing the districts of Mainz-Bingen, bad Kreuznach, Alzey-Worms, Rhein-Hunsrück, Rhein-Lahn, and Donnersberg, as well as the city of Worms. “We spend more than 700 hours a year on the roads of Rhineland-Palatinate and cover over 40,000 kilometers,” Weber explained,highlighting the team’s commitment to reaching those in need.
Launched in October 2021, the Mainz Children’s Palliative Team was the first of its kind in Rhineland-Palatinate, offering specialized outpatient care for children and adolescents. While other teams have as been established, the current staffing crisis puts comprehensive care at immediate risk.”We are urgently looking for nursing support,” weber pleaded. “Otherwise we won’t be able to continue our work next year.”
Currently, the team comprises three pediatricians, two nurses, a psychologist, and a medical assistant – a configuration Weber describes as insufficient to meet the growing demand. At least two to three additional nursing staff, along with further specialist medical support, are urgently needed. The Mainz hospice is actively advertising positions and utilizing social media campaigns to attract potential candidates.
[Instagram post regarding staffing needs]
The importance of this care cannot be overstated.Palliative care focuses on improving the quality of life for children and families facing life-limiting illnesses. “We ensure that these families do not have to spend their limited time together with long doctor’s visits and hospital stays, but can stay together in their familiar surroundings,” Weber emphasized. The team provides round-the-clock support, 365 days a year, often leading to long-term stabilization and increased participation in life for seriously ill children.
The children under the team’s care face a wide range of complex conditions, including genetic illnesses, brain malformations, complex neurological disorders, metabolic and muscle diseases, and also underlying oncological and cardiac illnesses.
One parent shared, “Even with the children we have lost, the parents often tell us: Without you, my child would have died in the hospital.” This sentiment underscores the profound impact the team has on families during incredibly tough times.
Weber expressed her deep concern, stating, “It would be very unpleasant and a bitter defeat if the whole thing failed. Of course, especially for the children and families affected. They are very grateful for the offer.”
In addition to the medical team, the Mainz Hospice also relies on “Time givers” – volunteers who provide support to sick children and their families in their daily lives. This volunteer program operates independently and would not be directly impacted by the potential closure of the medical palliative care team.
The situation remains critical, and the future of this vital service hangs in the balance as the team continues its urgent search for qualified nursing staff.
