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Read palliative care news and events around Australia. Please note that the links below were current at the time of posting, however links may become obsolete as websites update their content.
In January 2020 the Australian Government Department of Health released a series of reports exploring the barriers to accessing quality palliative care for people from under-served populations or people with complex needs. Australian Healthcare Associates were engaged by the Department in 2018 to undertake the exploratory analysis including workshops held in major centres across the country. The 10 final reports are now available for download:
The first part of the updated fifth edition of the RACGP aged care clinical guide (Silver book) has been released online. Part A: Common clinical conditions in aged care includes palliative and end-of-life care with recommendations for practice and guidance on the GP’s role. Parts B and C are to be released in 2020.
Released on September 20 the World Alzheimer Report 2019: Attitudes to dementia (8.44MB pdf) analyses findings of the world’s largest survey on attitudes to dementia, as well as expert essays and case studies from across the world including Australia.
In September, 2019 Palliative Care Australia released an updated postion statement on Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD). In a media release, PCA Board Chair Dr Jane Fischer says the statement makes it clear that VAD is not part of palliative care but recognises that the palliative care workforce will require support to answer questions on VAD.
August 26, 2019 the South Australian government announced an agreement with Silver Chain/RDNS to support people with chronic conditions in the last 1,000 days of their life. The new program known as Integrum SA aims to reduce unplanned hospital admissions and improve quality of life for patients towards the end of their life by providing an alternative to hospital and residential aged care.
On August 26th, 2019 the Australian government announced an investment of $11.7 million to keep Australians out of hospital. This includes projects for Early Detection of Deterioration in Elderly Residents of aged care facilities, and Implementation of Early Palliative Care in routine practice for people with advanced cancer.
The Australian Palliative Care Outcomes Collaboration (PCOC) has released their 2018 Annual report (1.32MB pdf).
Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement has launched a new resource aimed at assisting practitioners and those working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures within the grief and bereavement sector. Working with Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Grief and Bereavement: A Resource for Workers (4.04MB pdf).
The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety has released a new background paper Advance care planning in Australia (394kb pdf). All the papers are available for download on the Commission’s website.
In response to new legislation enacted in Victoria on June 19, 2019 the Australian Centre for Health Law Research at Queensland University of Technology has released a new factsheet on Assisted dying (255kb pdf). The printable publication provides key facts including what it is, eligibility, access, and safeguards.
From 19 June 2019, Victorians at the end of life who are suffering and who meet strict eligibility criteria will be able to request access to voluntary assisted dying (VAD). On June 3rd, 2019 Palliative Care Australia released a guiding principles document for VAD. CEO Rohan Greenland says the document, Voluntary Assisted Dying in Australia: Guiding principles for those providing care to people living with a life-limiting illness (81kb pdf) is national in scope, designed to sit alongside enacted state legislation where it exists, organisational ethical frameworks and professional codes of conduct. The guideline defines seven principles of equal importance: