National Palliative Care Week 2026 - Getting to the heart of it: Big Questions. Real Answers.
National Palliative Care Week 2026 - Getting to the heart of it: Big Questions. Real Answers.
Friday, March 06, 2026
National Palliative Care Week 2026
Every day in Australia, over 450 people across the age spectrum die of a life-limiting illness. Every one of them could benefit from palliative care – care that is their human right, care that can enrich their final days, and care that too many people still miss out on.
With the support of the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, National Palliative Care Week (NPCW) opens conversations, raises awareness, and advocates for better access to and acceptance of palliative and end-of-life care.
Getting to the heart of it. Big Questions. Real Answers.
The campaign aims to make palliative care easier to understand by encouraging honest questions and offering clear, human answers. The campaign is expressed through three supporting themes:
- Living well, your way – focusing on comfort, quality of life, and staying connected to what matters.
- Conversation changes everything – showing how starting the conversation can reduce uncertainty and support better planning and care.
- The heart of care – highlighting care that feels personal, safe and respectful for individuals and families.
Why conversations about palliative care matter
As Australia’s population ages (including rapid growth in the number of people aged 85 and over), and with dementia now the leading cause of death nationally, access to palliative care is more crucial than ever. While need is growing with an ageing population, palliative care is for anyone of any age with a life-limiting illness – including children and young people.
Meanwhile conversations about palliative and end-of-life care are often avoided because they can feel confronting or “too soon”, and many people aren’t sure what palliative care is or when it can help. National Palliative Care Week is a chance to change that – by encouraging earlier conversations and connecting people to trusted information, tools and support.
Thank you for your support!
Advice, tools and support
These trusted resources have been designed to support those receiving or providing palliative and end-of-life care.
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- National Palliative Care Standards
For Specialist Palliative Care Providers
Palliative Care Australia - National Palliative Care Standards
For all Health Professionals and Aged Care Services
Palliative Care Australia - ‘Live the life you please’ Documentary and Educational Package
For educators in medical education, hospitals, hospice, palliative care, end-of-life care, spiritual care, doulas, grief counsellors and more
Palliative Care Australia - PCA Learning module: The Essence of Spiritual Care
For healthcare workers
Palliative Care Australia - Paediatric End-of-Life Care Communication Course
8 modules: 1) Communicating with Children, 2) Connecting with Adolescents and Young Adults, 3) Understanding Emotion, 4) Shared Decision Making, 5) Moral Distress, 6) Self-Care, 7) Diversity and 8) Teamwork
For healthcare professionals working in paediatric end-of-life care
Paediatric Palliative Care - Professional Development Education
For teachers to support them when working with a sibling of a child with a life limiting condition
Paediatric Palliative Care - Health Professionals Centre
For the workforce providing palliative care
CareSearch - Toolkits
For use in Australian aged care services
End of Life Directions in Aged Care (ELDAC) - Online training curriculum 2023–2026
For medical practitioners, medical students, nurses
and allied health professionals about the law relating to end of life decision-making
End of Life Law for Clinicians (ELLC) - Education modules and resources
For doctors, nurses and allied health professionals working in acute hospitals in delivering end-of-life care
End-of-Life Essentials (EOLE) - LGBTIQ+ – Inclusive Palliative Care eLearning
For healthcare providers
LGBTIQ+ Palliative Care Project - Learning Resources – free palliative approach workshops and placements in palliative care services
Program of Experience in the Palliative Approach (PEPA) and Indigenous PEPA (IPEPA) - Learning modules: Improving palliative care knowledge and skills
Palliative Care Curriculum for Undergraduates (PCC4U) - Palliative Care Education Directory
Palliative Care Education Directory (PaCE ) - Palliative Care Short Courses
For professionals in the health and community care industries, ensuring the delivery of high-quality care
Flinders University - Palliative care education and training opportunities
For anyone who works in primary care and aged care
Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
- What is palliative care?
Palliative Care Australia - Understanding palliative care
Palliative Care Australia - Talking about palliative care
Palliative Care Australia - Questions for carers to ask the team caring for your loved one
Palliative Care Australia - How can I support my friend/family member?
Palliative Care Australia - The Dying Process
Palliative Care Australia - Resource Library
Palliative Care Australia - Resource Library
Paediatric Palliative Care
- Voluntary Assisted Dying in Australia – Guiding Principles
For those providing care to people living with a life-limiting illness
Palliative Care Australia - Overview of Voluntary Assisted Dying in Australia
End of Life Directions in Aged Care (ELDAC) - My Toolkit Checklist and Resources – Voluntary Assisted Dying in Acute Hospitals
End-of-Life Essentials (EOLE) - Training Module: Voluntary Assisted Dying in Acute Hospitals
End-of-Life Essentials (EOLE)
- Understanding self-care
Palliative Care Australia - Planning for self-care
Palliative Care Australia - Self-care matters
Palliative Care Australia - The wellbeing bites series (videos)
For health professionals working in paediatric palliative care
Paediatric Palliative Care - Self-care for volunteers for volunteers working in paediatric palliative care
Paediatric Palliative Care - Self-Care Pack
End of Life Directions in Aged Care (ELDAC)
- Paediatric Palliative Care website and accompanying video
Paediatric Palliative Care - Demystifying Paediatric Palliative Care: it’s more than you think (video)
Available in English and for the Arabic-speaking community
Paediatric Palliative Care - Navigating Transition in Palliative Care: Empowering Young People – A Healthcare Professional’s Guide and accompanying video
Paediatric Palliative Care - Caring Together: an introduction to paediatric palliative care (booklet)
Available in English, English Easy Read, Vietnamese, Arabic
Paediatric Palliative Care - Referral to Paediatric Palliative Care – A Decision Making Guideline Tool for Health Care Professionals and accompanying video
Paediatric Palliative Care
- Palliative care is more than you think (brochure)
Palliative Care Australia - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Discussion Starter – Working out what’s right for you (booklet)
Palliative Care Australia - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Discussion Starter – Working out what’s right for you (cards)
Palliative Care Australia - Working out what’s right for your child – Discussion Starter (cards) and Yarning Companion
Paediatric Palliative Care - The Palliative Care and End-of-Life Care Portal
Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet - Resources for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families
caring@home - Supporting Inclusive End of Life Care Companion Guide: Older Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Peoples
For aged care providers
End of Life Directions in Aged Care (ELDAC) - Online Training Module 12: Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Peoples and end of life law
For medical practitioners, nurses, allied and other health professionals, and health professional students
End of Life Law for Clinicians (ELLC) - Palliative Care Education and Training Supporting Palliative Care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities
Gwandalan
- What is palliative care? (brochure)
Available in Vietnamese, Chinese, Ukrainian, Hindi, Italian, Spanish, Arabic, Maltese, Greek, Polish, Croatian
Palliative Care Australia - What Matters Most – Discussion Starter (booklet)
Available in Vietnamese, Chinese, Ukrainian, Hindi, Italian, Spanish, Arabic, Maltese, Greek, Polish, Croatian
For older people using aged care services – they are designed to be used with health or aged care staff
Palliative Care Australia - What Matters Most – Discussion Starter (cards)
Available in Vietnamese, Chinese, Ukrainian, Hindi, Italian, Spanish, Arabic, Maltese, Greek, Polish, Croatian
For older people using aged care services – they are designed to be used with health or aged care staff
Palliative Care Australia - Caring Together: an introduction to paediatric palliative care (booklet)
Available in English, English Easy Read, Vietnamese, Arabic
Paediatric Palliative Care - Demystifying Paediatric Palliative Care: it’s more than you think (video)
Available in English and for the Arabic-speaking community
Paediatric Palliative Care - Supporting Inclusive End of Life Care Companion Guide: Older People from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Backgrounds
For aged care providers
End of Life Directions in Aged Care (ELDAC)
- LGBTQIA+ Inclusive Palliative Care Toolkit
For carers and health professionals
Palliative Care ACT - Resources and information about palliative care, tailored for members of LGBTIQA+ communities
For members of the LGBTIQA+ communities
Palliative Care Victoria - LGBTIQ+ Inclusive Palliative Care eLearning
For healthcare providers
LGBTIQ+ Palliative Care Project - Supporting Inclusive End of Life Care Companion Guide: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Gender Diverse, and Intersex Elders
For aged care providers
End of Life Directions in Aged Care (ELDAC) - Online Training Module 13: Inclusive end of life decision-making from diverse populations
For medical practitioners, nurses, allied and other health professionals, and health professional students
End of Life Law for Clinicians (ELLC) - Blog: Barriers LGBTIQ+ People Face in Accessing Palliative Care
For health professionals on the delivery of quality end-of-life care in hospitals
End-of-Life Essentials (EOLE)
- Homelessness and Palliative Care: A Scoping Study in Regional, Rural and Remote NSW
Palliative Care NSW - Palliative care issues for people experiencing homelessness
For health professionals
CareSearch - Toolkit
For staff working with homeless people who have advanced ill health
Homelessness Palliative Care Network - Exploratory Analysis of Barriers to Palliative Care – Issues Report on People Experiencing Homelessness
For general public
Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
- Palliative Care in Prisons Project
Prisons Project - Blog: Providing palliative care in prisons: Perspectives of prison clinicians, hospital clinicians and correctional officers
For health professionals
CareSearch - Exploratory Analysis of Barriers to Palliative Care – Issues Report on People who are Incarcerated
For general public
Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
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National events
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Local events
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Wear the Message. Support the Cause.
Our collection of Palliative Care Australia merchandise is designed to inspire conversation, honour compassionate care, and support those working in palliative care across Australia.
🧡 Thank you for supporting palliative care awareness in Australia. 🧡
| ‘Orange Heart’ Lapel Pin | ‘Orange Heart’ T-shirt (unisex) | 1000 Hearts Starter Kit |
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| Shop now |
More information
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Join the conversation
This National Carers Week, PCA recognises the vital role of families and carers. 🧡
More than 3 million Australians provide unpaid care and support to a family member or friend.
For people living with a life-limiting illness, families and carers can play an important role throughout the palliative care and end-of-life care journey – providing care, support, advocacy and connection.
The theme, ‘You are, know, or will be one’, is a reminder that caring affects all of us. This week, we recognise and celebrate carers and the important contribution they make to people, families and communities across Australia.
Learn more about National Carers Week and find ways to support a carer: https://carersweek.com.au/
#NationalCarersWeek #PalliativeCare #CarersAustralia
Great news! The caring@home project has secured Australian Government funding for another four years under a National Palliative Care Project Grant. 🏠
Led by the Brisbane South Palliative Care Collaborative (BSPCC), caring@home will continue to support quality and timely palliative care and end-of-life care at home through practical resources and education.
Over the next four years, the project will develop new and updated resources for community service providers, health professionals, and families and carers, alongside education for specialist palliative care and primary care workforces.
Explore the caring@home resources: https://bit.ly/4h421cp
Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing | Queensland Health
#PalliativeCare #EndOfLifeCare #CaringAtHome #Carers
Today is World Hospice and Palliative Care Day 🧡
Today we recognise the people who deliver and support palliative care around the world, and the importance of ensuring everyone who needs palliative care can access it.
For PCA, that means continuing to advocate for better access to palliative care and end-of-life care, stronger services and a supported workforce – and working with our partners to strengthen palliative care in Australia and across our region.
Next April, we’ll continue that work alongside the Asia Pacific Hospice Palliative Care Network (APHN) at APHC27OPCC in Adelaide, bringing our sector together to share knowledge, learn from different communities and health systems, and build stronger connections across the Asia-Pacific.
On World Hospice and Palliative Care Day, we look forward to the conversations ahead – and to welcoming our colleagues from Australia and around the region to Adelaide in 2027.
Learn more about APHC27OPCC: https://aphc27opcc.com/
#WorldHospiceAndPalliativeCareDay #APHC27OPCC #PalliativeCare
World Mental Health Day is an important opportunity to recognise the knowledge and expertise that come from lived experience. 💚
This year’s ‘Lived experiences heard: real voices, real change’ campaign calls for lived experience to help shape the policies, services and decisions that affect people’s lives – moving beyond simply being heard to meaningful involvement and action.
PCA works to ensure the experiences of people living with life-limiting illness, their families and carers inform our advocacy and help shape palliative care policy and services across Australia.
People can contribute through our National Register of Palliative Care Consumers and Carers, People of Palliative Care story series and opportunities to share their experiences directly with PCA.
Find out more: https://palliativecare.org.au/get-involved/
#WorldMentalHealthDay #PalliativeCare #LivedExperience
Today, we’re putting our hats on for children’s palliative care 🎩🧢👒
Palliative Care Australia is proud to once again join the global #HatsOn4CPC campaign, raising awareness of children’s palliative care and advocating for better access to care for children with life-limiting conditions and their families.
Every child who needs palliative care should be able to access high-quality, person and family-centred care that helps them live as well as possible, while supporting their families and carers.
This year’s call to Close the Gap: Palliative Care for Children, Everywhere reinforces the need to strengthen access to paediatric palliative care, build workforce capability and support timely referral so children and families can access the right care when and where they need it.
ICPCN – International Children’s Palliative Care Network | #HatsOn4CPC #CloseTheGap #PalliativeCare #PaediatricPalliativeCare
There’s still time to have your say and shape PCA’s advocacy.
Have you or someone you care for needed specialist medical care for a life-limiting illness?
Palliative Care Australia wants to hear about your experience.
🟠 Did you face long waits, high out-of-pocket costs or difficulty finding the right specialist doctor?
🟠 Or were you able to access timely, affordable specialist care when and where you needed it?
🟠 What else stood out about your experience of accessing palliative care?
PCA is preparing a submission to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Disability’s inquiry into access to and affordability of medical specialists.
Sharing your experience can help us highlight what needs to improve – and what good access to specialist care looks like.
Share your experience: https://bit.ly/4AoUix5
Experiences received by 13 October will help inform PCA’s submission.
Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing | #PalliativeCare #SpecialistCare #HealthPolicy
