Palliative Care Australia (PCA) Chair Dr Jane Fischer has called for renewed state and federal advocacy to ensure palliative care is available to all Australians who need it – now and in the future.

Speaking at the Palliative Care South Australia AGM this evening, Dr Fischer said investment in palliative care “makes good health and economic sense” and that all governments must take action.

“Every Australian living with a life limiting illness should have equitable access to quality needs-based palliative care at any point in their illness journey,” said Dr Fischer

“To achieve this palliative care should be a national priority. Advances in technology and medicine mean people are living longer, disease patterns are changing, people are more likely to have multi-morbidities, and treatment options are expanding.

“This has implications for palliative care and our sector needs to embrace and work within this changing demographic and medical terrain to deal with the increase in demand.

“If we want to drive change, it is critically important that we take consistent messages to our respective governments about what need to happen to ensure a sustainable future for palliative care.”

Dr Fischer said that PCA and its member organisations/affiliates had identified five key priority areas of
action for all governments:

• financial investment to plan and prepare for the palliative care needs of the future
• sustained funding to support innovative and flexible models
• workforce initiatives to ensure we have the required specialist workforce to meet escalating need
• continued focus, aligned with national campaigns, on community awareness and education in relation to death and dying and palliative care
• all government jurisdictions to help drive the implementation of the new National Palliative Care Strategy - palliative care makes both good health and economic sense!

Dr Fischer noted that development of the implementation plan is already underway, which she welcomed.

As part of her address, Dr Fischer also highlighted PCA’s 2030 vision statement Palliative Care 2030: Working towards the Future of Quality Palliative Care for All, which was released in February 2019.

“We know that there is inequitable access to palliative care in Australia, and unless there is significant change in the way it is funded and delivered, these inequities will continue to grow. Australians with a lifelimiting illness should be able to access quality palliative care no matter their postcode, diagnosis, ethnicity, socio-economic status or place of care, to enable them to have the best quality of life for as long as possible.

“Palliative Care 2030 sets out a platform for the discussions we need to have – because we need collaboration, commitment and innovation if we are to meet the palliative care needs of the future.”

Download PDF of Media release: Palliative care makes good health and economic sense - 14 October 2019