The Role of Specialist Palliative Care

Not everyone needs to see specialist palliative care or hospice services. Some may only need to see them occasionally to deal with specific problems or circumstances. Others may not need to see them at all.

For those with complex needs, being referred early to a palliative care service can be helpful.

Palliative care services work with health professionals in the community. They also work alongside other specialist services such as cancer, cardiac, and renal services.

Palliative care can be provided at home or in a residential aged care facility. This is with the support of the GP, practice nurse, aged care staff and / or community nurse. Patients may also be cared for in hospital by palliative care nurses or doctors. There are also specialist palliative care facilities, such as a hospice or a palliative care ward in a hospital. Some people may move between these places as their medical and support needs change.

People living in rural or remote areas may not have as much access to specialist palliative care. Rural health services are sometimes linked to metropolitan palliative care services. The local health professionals seek advice from them as they need to.

Resources

Palliative Care Australia has produced a summary document called A guide to palliative care service development that outlines how different needs may require different type of service access.
There are specialist palliative care services and hospices in each state and territory.

This page was created on 26 May 2009 and is due for review in May 2011