Nominations have opened for the 2021 Palliative Care Australia’s (PCA) National Palliative Care Awards, which recognise innovation, teamwork and emerging talent in Australia’s palliative care sector, with this year’s award line-up featuring four new individual award categories.

The awards acknowledge individuals and teams who provide exceptional care and support for people receiving palliative care, through public recognition and further development opportunities. There are nine individual and two organisation/team awards categories.

Individual Awards:

• Emerging Leader
• Emerging Researcher
• Excellence in Palliative care - Rural and Remote
• Excellence in Palliative Care in an Aged Care Setting
• Outstanding Achievement by a Volunteer
• Excellence in Palliative care - Paediatric Palliative Care
• Excellence in Palliative care - Community Based Care
• Excellence in Generalist Palliative Care
• Excellence in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander palliative care

Organisation/ Team Awards:

• Outstanding Teamwork Award
• Innovation in Palliative Care

The 2021 Awards will, for the first time, recognise the outstanding contributions by individuals working in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander palliative care, paediatric palliative care, community based care, and generalist palliative care.

PCA CEO Camilla Rowland said the awards are an important opportunity to show appreciation for the exceptional care and support provided to the Australian community by palliative care individuals and teams.

“These awards shine a light on the many people and teams in the palliative care sector who are dedicated to providing high-quality palliative and end-of-life care that our communities need,” Ms Rowland said.

Ms Rowland is particularly pleased that the awards will this year also recognise an outstanding individual who has displayed excellence in the provision of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander palliative care.

“Quality palliative care is a universal human right, and as such needs to be available to all Australians, and also be delivered in a respectful and culturally appropriate way. This new award category is an opportunity to recognise the importance and significance of those efforts.”

Winners of the individual awards will receive $2,000 towards professional development, plus free registration to the Oceanic Palliative Care Conference (OPCC) in 2023. The Organisation/Team awards winners will receive $4,000 towards professional development for the entire team. Winners of each awards category will also receive a trophy and recognition certificate.

You can nominate an individual or Organisation/Team for the 2021 PCA National Palliative Care Awards award via the PCA website. Entry is free, and nominations close on 13 July 2021. Finalists will be notified on 10 August 2021, with winners announced at the 2021 OPCC on 7 September.

Download PDF of Media release: Nominations open for National Palliative Care Awards - 03 June 2021

Media contact: Jayme Markus – 0401 944 905 – communications@palliativecare.org.au