What is the role of the GP in palliative care for people with cancer?

29/10/2026 | Reading Time: 4 mins | Categories: GPs / Person centred Care and Decision Making

The Role of General Practice in Palliative Care

For many Australians, their general practitioner (GP) is the health professional that knows them best and that they see most often. General practice is distinct from specialist care because it focuses on the whole person rather than a single condition, often supporting patients over many years and across different stages of life.

This places GPs in a unique position throughout a person’s health journey, including when living with life-limiting illnesses such as cancer. GPs are usually the first point of contact when symptoms emerge, provide ongoing management of health concerns, and help coordinate care across various services and settings. Their role is underpinned by several key features of general practice:

• being the first point of contact for healthcare

• providing comprehensive care and looking after all aspects of health and wellbeing, not just relating to cancer; GPs provide care from ‘cradle to grave’, for all patient groups and all problems) [1]

• building long-term relationships with patients and families
• delivering person-centred care that reflects individual priorities, values and goals
• considering the broader physical, social, emotional, cultural and spiritual factors that affect wellbeing [2].

The value of continuity and trusted relationships in palliative care

GPs play a crucial role in symptom management and preserving patients’ highest quality of life across the cancer journey, particularly during end-of-life care. An Australian study reported that 95% of patients visited their GPs in the last 6 months of life, 72% in the second-last month, and 74% in the last month of life. [3] GPs provided home visits to 24% and opioid prescriptions to 58% of patients in their final months of life.

Many patients and families value the trust and familiarity that develops through an ongoing relationship with their GP. During periods of uncertainty, serious illness and changing care needs, this continuity can provide reassurance, support and a sense of being known [4].

Research has shown that continuity of care is associated with a range of positive outcomes, including reduced hospital use and improved experiences of care [5,6]. For some population groups, trusted relationships with GPs may also help improve access to palliative care services and support [7,8].

Challenges facing delivery of palliative care in general practice

There is no consistent data describing the extent of palliative care delivered within general practice. Data from a sample of GPs and their encounters with patients (the BEACH survey) suggests that 1 in 1000 GP consultations were for palliative care [9]. However, BEACH survey data collection ended in 2016.

Funding models and workforce development have not kept up with growing demand for and rising cost of providing general practice services and increasing complexity of patient needs. These challenges are affecting the capacity of GPs to provide the longer consultations, care coordination and ongoing support required by people living with serious illness and those approaching the end of life.

Looking ahead

GPs play a pivotal role in palliative and end-of-life care, supporting their patients to die with dignity in a place of their preference through education, symptom management, addressing psychosocial and spiritual needs, and care coordination. [3] Systemic change and collection of primary care data can support the general practice workforce to continue to provide palliative and end-of-life care to people with life-threatening illnesses. Meanwhile, access to practical resources, evidence and education can assist general practice teams to deliver high-quality palliative and end-of-life care.

CareSearch provides a range of evidence-based resources to support health professionals, patients, families and carers navigating serious illness, ageing, dying and bereavement. The GP Kit offers a suite of resources to help GPs navigate needs and issues as they arise in the last months of life.

References

1. Thomas H, Best M, Mitchell G. Whole-person care in general practice: The nature of whole-person care. Aust J Gen Pract. 2020;49(1-2):54-60.
2. Lynch JM, Thomas HR, Askew DA, Sturman N. Holding the complex whole: Generalist philosophy, priorities and practice that facilitate whole-person care. Aust J Gen Pract. 2023;52(7):428-433.
3. Grant MP, McCarthy D, Kearney C, Collins A, Sundararajan V, Rhee JJ, et al. General practice utilisation by australian cancer patients in the last year of life. Fam Pract. 2025;42(2).
4. Kearley KE, Freeman GK, Heath A. An exploration of the value of the personal doctor-patient relationship in general practice. Br J Gen Pract. 2001;51(470):712-718.
5. Jeffers H, Baker M. Continuity of care: Still important in modern-day general practice. Br J Gen Pract. 2016;66(649):396-397.
6. Sidaway-Lee K, Pereira Gray OD, Harding A, Evans P. What mechanisms could link gp relational continuity to patient outcomes? Br J Gen Pract. 2021;71(707):278-281.
7. Thomas H, Lynch J, Burch E, Best M, Ball L, Sturgiss E, et al. Where the joy comes from: A qualitative exploration of deep gp-patient relationships. BMC Prim Care. 2023;24(1):268.
8. Australian Government Department of Health. Exploratory analysis of barriers to palliative care issues report on people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Canberra: Australian Government Department of Health; 2019 11/06/2026].
9. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). Palliative care in general practice. Canberra: AIHW; 2026 [11/06/2026].