The power of primary health in palliative care

Palliative Care Australia (PCA) hosted a Parliamentary Friends of Palliative Care event  – ‘The power of primary health in palliative care’ on 27 March 2023. The event was invite only ranging from leaders in the palliative care sector right through to political leaders.

Those who work in primary health care are critical to providing people with life-limiting illnesses the care they deserve.

The Department of Health and Aged Care’s 10 year plan, ‘2022–2032 – Future focused primary health care’ lays out a pathway for strengthening primary health care and its contribution to the wider health system and local communities.

This is an important commitment as all facets of primary health play an integral role in the delivery of quality palliative care to all Australians.

Complimenting the Department’s 10 year plan, in 2022, Palliative Care Australia released the ‘National Palliative Care Standards for All Health Professionals and Aged Care Services’ to support primary health care professionals in the delivery of palliative care to their local communities.

These standards help facilitate better awareness and coordination of care between specialist and non-specialist palliative care services, ensuring better health care for all Australians and a more sustainable health system.

Speakers:

• Dr Paresh Dawda – General Practitioner, Principal and Director at Presantia Health and Next Practice. Passionate about providing holistic care for patients, because great health is so much more than medicine.

• Christine Hofmeyer– Lived experience voice, palliative care nurse consultant for 27 years with direct involvement in service and policy development. Member of PCA’s Carer and Consumer Register.

• Juliane Samara – Palliative care Nurse Practitioner with a passion for improving quality of life and death in residential aged care. Chairperson of ACT Australian College of Nurse Practitioners, member of National Council of Australian College of Nurse Practitioners.

Hosted by PCA Board Chair, Professor Meera Agar, and introduced by the co-convenors of the Parliamentary Friends of Palliative Care, Senator Catryna Bilyk and the Hon Nola Marino MP, together with PCA CEO Camilla Rowland.