National Palliative Care Awards 2025 – Now Open
The National Palliative Care Awards celebrate the outstanding contributions of individuals and teams who demonstrate excellence, innovation, and leadership in palliative care. Held every two years, these awards highlight the dedication and achievements of those making a difference in the lives of people with life-limiting illnesses.
Be part of this prestigious event and help us honour those shaping the future of palliative care in Australia.
Key Dates
- Nominations Open: Thursday 1 May 2025
- Nominations Close: Thursday 19 June 2025
- Finalists Notified – July 2025
- Winners Announced: At the Oceanic Palliative Care Conference (OPCC) 2025 in Brisbane at the Awards Gala Dinner – 11 September 2025
How to Nominate
- Review the award categories and criteria
- Gather supporting materials and testimonials
- Submit your nomination online before the deadline
Why Nominate?
Whether you’re a patient, colleague, or community member, you can nominate an outstanding individual or team.
Entry is free, and we welcome submissions from all areas of palliative care.
Here’s what previous Award winners have said:
“Winning the award was a tremendous honour and helped elevate awareness of our work, opening new opportunities for collaboration.” – 2023 Award Winner
When I got awarded the Emerging Researcher Award, I realised my work was actually making a difference for some people and that made me incredibly happy,” – winner, Emerging Researcher Award.
“Winning the award was an extremely humbling recognition of my personal commitment to enhancing the opportunities and experiences for people with disability at the end of life.”
“As a direct result of the Award, I was contacted by a range of clinicians, researchers, people living with disability and those who support them – nationally and internationally.
“Some of those contacts resulted in significant opportunities for me,” – winner, Emerging Leader Award.
“Receiving the award has given me more of a voice nationally in both palliative and aged care sectors, to advocate for improvements in care for older persons and their families,” – winner, Outstanding Achievement by an Individual in Palliative Care.
“I believe winning this award reflects the work performed by all volunteers in the hospice and indeed all volunteers working with South Australian Palliative Care.”
“An individual can achieve so much but a team can achieve so much more,” – winner, Outstanding Achievement by a Volunteer’ Award.
A Night to Celebrate Excellence
The National Palliative Care Awards Gala Dinner will take place at the Oceanic Palliative Care Conference 2025 in Brisbane. This special event will bring together healthcare professionals, advocates, and policymakers to celebrate the remarkable achievements within the sector.
Find out more about each category and the nomination criteria
Download Eligibility and Guidelines
This award recognises an emerging leader for their significant contributions to palliative care early in their working or academic life.
This award recognises outstanding contribution to palliative care by a researcher in the first five years of their research career. The nomination must describe how their research will lead or has led to positive clinical outcomes for people experiencing palliative care. Research can be across any setting of care, so long as it is in relation to palliative care. If the nominee is not the lead or chief investigator, it must be demonstrated that they worked closely with a key researcher in palliative care as co-investigator.
This award recognises teams or individuals initiating an innovative practice, project, or service that enhances the delivery of palliative care. Nominations should address at least four of the six criteria.
This award recognises inspirational and outstanding teamwork. Nominations should address at least four of the six criteria listed below. Teams must be at least two people.
This award recognises the exceptional contribution of a volunteer or volunteer team in improving the experience of a patient/s with palliative care needs or their family. Palliative Care Australia is proud to recognise those who selflessly and generously volunteer their time and skills to look after others, without asking for recognition or expecting anything in return.
This award recognises an individual or a team demonstrating excellence in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander palliative care. Nominations should address at least four out of six criteria
This award rewards excellence by an individual in professional practice, leadership, research, education or policy and advocacy work.
This award recognises outstanding commitment to palliative care over a significant time period. To be eligible for the Lifetime Achievement Award nominees must:
• Have made significant contributions to palliative care through research, clinical leadership (either as a clinician, administrator or educator) and/or community service
• Have made substantial contributions to palliative care over a period of twenty years or more
• Be an Australian resident
Proudly Presented By
The National Palliative Care Awards are presented by Palliative Care Australia in partnership with Silverchain, a leading provider of palliative care services supporting over 115,000 people each year.
Find out More about 25OPCC
Visit 25OPCC or contact events@palliativecare.org.au
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