Australia has more than 90,000 allied health professionals, who work alongside doctors and nurses to provide optimum health care for all Australians. They are an important part of the multidisciplinary team providing palliative care.

Professional Groups

Each of the following professional groups has a webpage that provide access to resources and literature relevant to the practice of palliative care for their profession.

• Aboriginal Health Workers
• Bereavement Counsellors
• Dietitians
• Music Therapists
• Occupational Therapists
• Pastoral Care Workers
• Pharmacists
• Physiotherapists
• Psychologists
• Social Workers
• Speech Pathologists

Information for patients and their families

• For patients, carers and families
  There is a large section of the website written specifically for patients, their carers and families. It deals with issues such as living with illness, decision making, finances, carer needs, and bereavement, grief and loss.
• Printable Resources
  There are a number of tools and leaflets that can be printed off for patients, their carers and family. You can also order printed materials for your clients.

Looking for services and organisations?

• Palliative care services
  Links to a national directory of palliative care services
• National organisations and services
  Links to various helpful services and organisations
• State resources
  Provides details on services and supports available in each state and territory of Australia

Clinical Information

• The Clinical Practice section provides an overview of the evidence from systematic reviews on a range of common symptoms and care issues such as pain, delirium, advance care planning, and complementary therapies.
• There is also information on specific populations such as those in aged care facilities, rural and remote, and people with dementia.

Where's the evidence?

• You can use a variety of tools and databases to find out what research exists and what studies have been carried out in Australia. The following steps can help you find what you need
  • Check if there is a Clinical Practice page. These pages have already searched for relevant systematic reviews and examined the evidence.
  • Check the Review Collection to see if there are systematic reviews on the topic (eg fatigue, spirituality)
  • See if there is a Palliative Care PubMed Search. Click on the search to find the most up to date citations. You can limit your search to only free full text to get back only those articles that you can read in full online immediately.  
  • You can also create your own topic search
  • Use the Grey Literature database to find out what work has been done in Australia
  • Find out how to search and what databases are around
• The Quality Use Project shows you how to use CareSearch

Education

• Web based learning
  There are links to various free online learning activities that can help staff learn about palliative care issues.
• Conferences
  There is a listing of palliative care relevant conferences

Related CareSearch factsheets

Patient and Carer Support
Supporting Multicultural Clients
Indigenous Resources
End of Life Brochure Envelope Kit
 

Last updated 17 May 2011*