Being home and surrounded by loved ones can make a huge difference to patients and families and this investment will make sure that people in the South East have access to more palliative care in the home.
In 2015/16, funding for community palliative care provided support for 16,777 Victorians. This increase in funding announced by the Liberal Nationals today will help provide palliative care support for up to another 8,000 Victorians.
Research indicates that around 70% of Victorians want to live their final days at home surrounded by family, friends and memories. Research also shows that barely a third of Victorians get to realise this final wish due to inadequate funding for community based palliative care services.
With an ageing population and increasing rates of complex chronic illness, demand for palliative care will continue to grow. Only a Liberal Nationals Government will make the necessary investment to deliver timely and comprehensive community palliative care for patients in the South Eastern Metropolitan Region who want it.
This commitment will see [1]:
- A doubling of specialist palliative care medical and nursing services to community palliative care clients in Victoria;
- A 50% funding increase in community palliative care provided in the home and including overnight care, in home respite and carer support and enhanced linkages to after-hours support such as GPs and pharmacists;
- Significant education and workforce development to recruit and train skilled palliative care workers to deliver expanded services, enhance health professionals capacity to have end-of-life conversations and support volunteers;
- A community awareness and engagement campaign to assist Victorians to understand the availability and benefits of palliative care including underrepresented groups such as rural and regional Victorians, children, non-cancer related illnesses, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and Indigenous Victorians; and
- Establishment of an End-of-Life Ministerial Council, with representation from palliative care and broader health sectors as well as patients and carers, to ensure palliative care is integrated with broader health services and flexibly and effectively meeting the needs of terminally ill Victorians and their families.
A Liberal Nationals Government will ensure that more Victorians who are dying will be able to spend their final days at home and will also support their families and carers throughout this time.
Comments attributable to Member for South Eastern Metropolitan Region, Inga Peulich:
“This record investment will make a significant difference for families in the South East who wish to remain together in the final days and weeks of a loved one’s life.
“This assistance will hopefully make a very distressing time less distressing for patients and their families and other loved ones.
[1] Based on 2016/17 funding for Community Palliative Care Services and Consultancy Services