PalAssist: delivering state-wide support and information for all Queenslanders dealing with a life-limiting or terminal illness

Launched in 2015, PalAssist is Queensland’s first state-wide, no-cost 24-hour telephone and online service for palliative care patients, carers, family and friends seeking practical information and emotional support. Funded by Queensland Health and operated by Cancer Council Queensland, PalAssist provides accurate information, referral advice and compassionate support to all Queenslanders dealing with a life-limiting or terminal illness, with a focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse groups. The consumer centric evidence based model operates under a quality framework, inclusive of a Quality Manager and Medical and Scientific Advisory Committee. PalAssist’s health professional team individualises advice and offers support via client preference; telephone or online chat, contributing to evidence on the use of non-traditional service delivery tools. Through leveraging of Cancer Council Queensland’s networks, clients have direct referral paths to and from other community services, highlighting the collective role of multiple agency engagement in achieving continuity of care. Findings, challenges and successes from PalAssist’s initial 6 month operations and benefits of a joint government and NGO delivery model will be shared, providing practical insights for translation into other palliative care initiatives.