Sector news

Australia’s new Centre of Research Excellence in Paediatric Palliative Care brings together researchers, families, clinicians, and advocates to improve care for children with life-limiting conditions through high-quality, collaborative research.

The centre’s work is grounded in the lived experiences of families and the professionals who support them.

Subscribe to their mailing list for quarterly updates on webinars, research opportunities, community partnerships, and networking for early career and HDR students.

NHMRC is working closely with the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing to develop a National Health and Medical Research Strategy (The National Strategy). The National Strategy aims to build on Australia’s strengths in the health and medical research sector, fill any gaps, and continue to attract researchers and investors to Australia. The draft National Strategy has been released for public consultation. The draft National Strategy and the guiding questions for submissions are both available on the Department’s consultation hub

These clinical paediatric palliative care guidelines were developed by the Shaping the Future of Paediatric Palliative Care Project, PaPCANZ in partnership with New Zealand Paediatric Palliative Care Clinical Network (PSNZ). They have been adapted with approval from the PSNZ New Zealand Paediatric Palliative Care Clinical Network Clinical Guidelines. The guidelines focus on three areas that present the greatest difficulties in paediatric palliative care:

• Agitation – management in the palliative paediatric patient
• Breathlessness – management in the palliative paediatric patient
• Sharing significant news about end of life in paediatrics

The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare has released new guidance to support clinicians in the day-to-day use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools. The Pragmatic AI guidance for clinicians resources are relevant to clinicians who may use AI in their clinical work, including doctors, nurses, medical imaging and allied health professionals, working in general practice, private practice, community health or hospitals.

Many Australians living in rural and remote areas have to travel great distances access essential specialised health services including oncology for cancer treatment and dialysis for those with end-stage kidney disease. Patient Assisted Travel Scheme aims to alleviate costs associated with travelling for these services for patients and eligible escorts. Currently, payment rates and eligibility criteria varies across states. The National Rural Health Alliance's Patient Assisted Travel Scheme fact sheet has collated information from each state and territory to provide comprehensive information for people wanting to know more about the scheme.

Healthdirect’s National Health Services Directory (NHSD) now enables pharmacies to include a service offering of ‘Palliative care medicine’ in their listing. The NHSD powers the Service Finder, the public-facing directory where the community can find up-to-date information about health services near them.  Customers can search and filter service offerings to find their closest pharmacy stocking core palliative care medicines, making it easier to plan ahead before visiting or calling.