Sector news

Voluntary assisted dying (VAD) commences on 28 November 2023 for eligible people​ living in NSW.  The NSW government has provided information for people considering VAD,  for family members, carers and friends, and for health practitioners and providers.

Palliative Care Australia recently launched the 23OPCC Education Hub providing access to recordings from the 2023 Oceanic Palliative Care Conference. Registered 23OPCC delegates can access the recordings now. Those who didn’t attend can purchase subscriptions between $200 and $400.

Following a successful grant application from the Australian Government’s National Palliative Care Projects program, the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) will be developing a National Palliative Care Foundation Training Program for Australian pharmacists. The program intends to upskill pharmacists and improve their capacity to provide palliative care. The training will be self-guided, available online and free of charge to registered pharmacists. To inform the learning objectives and content for this training program, PSA is seeking input from health professionals via this online survey. Contribute your views on palliative care training by 17 November 2023. 

After extensive stakeholder engagement, Cancer Australia has launched its Australian Cancer Plan. The Plan is designed to improve care outcomes for all Australians, but particularly for those groups with the poorest cancer experiences. It covers all stages of care, including end-of-life care, and is designed to be used by governments, policy makers, service planners, and clinicians.

LGBTIQ+ Health Australia has introduced two initial modules of the LGBTIQ+ Inclusive Palliative Care eLearning, with two additional modules set for release soon. This free eLearning resource aims to increase healthcare provider confidence in delivering palliative care that is inclusive of LGBTIQ+ people. The content covers:

• Understanding the healthcare needs specific to LGBTIQ+ communities.
• Addressing end-of-life concerns and identifying barriers to palliative care for LGBTIQ+ individuals.
• Developing skills for conducting inclusive end-of-life conversations.
• Implementing strategies to support loved ones during the palliative care process.
• Establishing welcoming and inclusive environments within healthcare settings.

Access the first two modules or sign up to stay informed on all the LGBTIQ+ inclusive palliative care resources.

The Department for Health and Wellbeing’s End of Life Care team has recently launched the first components of a new information service that may be of interest to you. Palliative Care Connect is a new statewide service that provides information and links to palliative care and bereavement supports in South Australia. An information line is now available for people with life-limiting illnesses and their family members, friends, and carers, as well as healthcare professionals.

Palliative Care Navigators, available through the information line, provide information, service linkages, and empower individuals to make choices aligned with their culture and preferences.