I work in Primary, Community, Aged Care and other Specialties
National Palliative Care Standards for All Health Professionals and Aged Care Services (2022)
These Standards complement the National Palliative Care Standards for Specialist Providers (2024), supporting improved experiences and outcomes for people receiving generalist palliative care.
Download a PDF copy of the Standards or order your free copy from the PCA Resource Library
National Palliative Care Standards for All Health Professionals and Aged Care Services Edition 1 2022
The complete resource outlining the National Palliative Care Standards for generalist palliative care, supporting high-quality care across primary, community, hospital and aged care settings.
Service Story
This service story highlights how The Sutherland Hospital’s Geriatric Flying Squad (GFS) is embedding the National Palliative Care Standards into everyday practice through a collaborative Emergency Department pathway.
Key resources
The resources below support understanding and implementation of the Standards into practice.
Download the resources most relevant to your role or service needs below.
National Palliative Care Standards for All Health Professionals and Aged Care Services - Factsheet
A quick reference guide to the National Palliative Care Standards for generalist palliative care. Providing and overview of the 6 care standard and 3 governance standards.
Nine National Palliative Care Standards
Explore the Nine National Palliative Care Standards
Overview
Initial and ongoing assessment incorporates the person’s physical, psychological, cultural, social and spiritual experiences and needs.
Assess you service against the Standards
Overview
The person, their family and carers and substitute decision-maker(s) work in partnership with multidisciplinary teams to communicate, plan, set goals of care and support informed
decisions about the comprehensive care plan.
* The term family includes people identified by the person as family. This may include people who are biologically related, however it may not. People who joined the family through marriage or other relationships, such as kinship, as well as the chosen family, street family for those experiencing homelessness, and friends (including pets) may identified by the person as family. A person may also choose to not have their family or carers involved in their care, or a person may not have any family or carers.
Overview
The needs and preferences of the person’s family and carers and substitute decisionmaker(s) are assessed, and directly inform provision of appropriate support and guidance
about their role.
* The term family includes people identified by the person as family. This may include people who are biologically related, however it may not. People who joined the family through marriage or other relationships, such as kinship, as well as the chosen family, street family for those experiencing homelessness, and friends (including pets) may be identified by the person as family. A person may also choose to not have their family or carers involved in their care, or a person may not have any family or carers.
Overview
The provision of care is based on the assessed needs of the person, informed by evidence, and is consistent with the values, goals and preferences of the person as documented in
their care plan.
Overview
Care is integrated across the person’s experience to ensure seamless transitions within and between services.
Overview
Families and carers have access to grief support services and are provided with information
about loss and grief.
* The term family includes people identified by the person as family. This may include people who are biologically related, however it may not. People who joined the family through marriage or other relationships, such as kinship, as well as the chosen family, street family for those experiencing homelessness, and friends (including pets) may be identified by the person as family. A person may also choose to not have their family or carers involved in their care, or a person may not have any family or carers.
Overview
The service has a philosophy, strategy, values, culture, structure, and environment that supports the delivery of person and family-centred palliative care
Overview
Services are engaged in quality improvement and research, based on best practice and evidence, to improve service provision and development
Overview
Staff and volunteers are appropriately qualified, are engaged in continuing professional development and are supported in their roles.
Mapping Frameworks
These mapping documents show how the National Palliative Care Standards align with key national health, aged care and end-of-life care frameworks. They are designed to support services to understand areas of alignment, demonstrate compliance, reduce duplication, and strengthen consistent, high-quality palliative and end-of-life care across different settings and populations.
Download the mapping documents to the following
Mapping of the National Palliative Care Standards for All Health Professionals and Aged care Services (2022) to National Safety and Quality Primary and Community Healthcare Standards (2021)
Mapping of the National Palliative Care Standards for All Health Professionals and Aged care Services (2022) to National Safety and Quality Primary and Community Healthcare Standards (2021)
Mapping of the National Palliative Care Standards for All Health Professionals and Aged care Services to Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards (2022).
Palliative Care Self-Assessment (PaCSA)
A structured, self-paced way to assess your service against the nine National Palliative Care Standards.
Palliative Care Self-Assessment (PaCSA) supports services to review and strengthen their practice against the National Palliative Care Standards. It offers a structured, self-paced approach to reflection and provides the ability for services to identify priorities and plan quality improvement activities aligned with accreditation requirements and organisational goals.
