A Wish Ambulance is a vehicle specially designed or converted to transport immobile, terminally ill patients to fulfil their wishes. Wish Ambulance design varies around the world but there are several similarities – the ability of provide excellent patient care; tinted windows to allow privacy while allowing patients to view their journey and a comfortable ride, often with electronic stretchers with specialised mattresses. Medical equipment is often hidden from sight but easily accessible if required.
Some Wish Ambulances are specially designed and built for delivering final wishes, some are converted ambulances, while others are converted from other vehicles such as minibuses. Regardless of their design, the purpose is the same – to safely transport patients to fulfil their wishes in comfort. Some international Ambulance Wish programmes, such as Belgium, even have a dedicated children’s Wish Ambulance with a special paint-job, PlayStation, DVD and Wi-Fi. The images show various Wish Ambulances from around the world, including what a WA Wish Ambulance could look like.
We announced our Sponsorship and Partnership programme at the start of National Palliative Care Week to raise funds for the first Wish Ambulance for Western Australia (WA). We aim to start fulfilling wishes as soon as the Wish Ambulance is operational – we have started to receive formal applications from volunteers wanting to help fulfil patients’ final wishes in WA and have already developed our policies and procedures to ensure excellent clinical care.
