SINGAPORE - Three in four doctors here and almost half of nurses believe medical professionals do not know enough about palliative care, which is caring for patients in the last stage of their lives.

A significant minority also believe Singapore does not have enough staff trained in such care, and that there is a shortage of hospice facilities and beds to take care of such patients.

These were the findings of a survey released by the philanthropic organisation the Lien Foundation on Wednesday, on the thoughts of doctors and nurses about death and dying in Singapore.

The survey was conducted between February and April, and was the second in a series. The first survey's results were issued in April and looked at the public's thoughts on the issue.

"Doctors and nurses are frequently the guardians of care at the end of life, guiding patients and their families through a challenging time," said Lien Foundation chief executive Lee Poh Wah.

"We've got to make palliative care part of our healthcare system's DNA."