Current data presents a confronting picture of access to palliative care in Australia now and in the future. On our current path the situation facing people and families living with terminal illness is critical and will only get worse.
This Wednesday, (27 November) Palliative Care Australia (PCA) will launch the ‘Better access to palliative care – worth voting for’ campaign ahead of the upcoming federal election.
“Without action, our future is one of diminishing care,” says Camilla Rowland, CEO, PCA.
“The reforms to health, aged care, and disability services over the last three years are just the start – we go backwards unless the next parliament deepens and matures the progress made by investing in better access to palliative care.
“Everyday, around 400 people die of a terminal illness, yet 62% do not receive specialist palliative care at any stage.
“This goes beyond pain and symptom management; palliative care seeks to empower people’s end of life wishes as well as their emotional and spiritual wellbeing – not to forget grief support for their loved ones.”
PCA’s 2025 Federal Election Platform is built of a foundation of four pillars:
Better access to palliative care through primary care
Better access to critical palliative care medicines
Better access to palliative care through aged care
Better access to palliative care for people under 65
The actions outlined by PCA and our members around Australia work within and strengthen existing health and care structures:
A new quarterly payment to primary care practices for each palliative patient to recognise the costs of delivering services not billable to Medicare
Free palliative care medicines for people at the end of life
Palliative care training for nurses working in aged care
Interim program to provide basic at home living supports for people under 65 with disabilities who are dying
PCA's 2025 Federal Election Platform can be viewed in full HERE
Much loved Australian performer and author, Jean Kittson, is leading the campaign, sharing her own heartache and trauma surrounding the death of her beloved parents, Elaine and Roy, earlier this year.
“My father and mother are examples of the devastating inadequacies, inefficiencies, and incompetence that still plague residential aged care,” Jean says.
“No one should have to go through what we did.”
Jean’s full story is available to watch and read on the PCA website where people can sign PCA’s petition or share their own story as a way of showing support for ‘better access to palliative care.’
“We want to make better access to palliative care and election issue – our plan saves money, eases cost of living pressures and delivers the quality of life at the end of life too many Australians are missing out on,” Ms Rowland says.
“Our population is ageing, a future of diminishing care is simply not acceptable, our sector is calling on those standing for election to get behind our plans for better access to palliative care.”
Media are invited to attend the campaign launch and speak with Jean Kittson and those working in the palliative care sector:
Date and time: Wednesday, 27 November 2024, 11:30 for a 11:45 start
Location: Private Dining Rooms, Parliament House, Canberra
More info: Ian Campbell, 0417 482 171, Marilyn Joy, 0450 859 708 (on the day)
Contact details:
Ian Campbell
P: 0417 482 171
E: Ian.Campbell@palliativecare.org.au