The case for improved remuneration of palliative care in primary care

This report explains why there is a need for improved remuneration arrangements to promote palliative care in primary care. The report shares insights from Palliative Care Australia’s 2024 National Palliative Care Workforce Survey, drawing on the responses of 129 respondents working in primary care settings.

PCA proposes five reforms to primary care funding to increase access to palliative care:

  1. A new practice-level payment to remunerate palliative care (for example, advance care planning, developing goals of care, and referral to family and social supports) – covering activities undertaken by primary care multidisciplinary teams that are not currently billable to Medicare.
  2. Further guidance for general practice about the use of existing longer consultation items (Level C, D and E) to be more explicit about their relevance to palliative care.
  3. Additional funding for home visits, after-hours care (in-person and via telehealth), and shared care arrangements with specialist palliative care teams.
  4. Creation of an expert working group to advise the Australian Government on how to best increase palliative care activity in primary care.
  5. Development of a Palliative Care in Primary Care Monitoring and Evaluation Framework, to fill the gap in knowledge about palliative care provision and quality in primary care.

These recommendations have been broadly endorsed by the following organisations:

  • Australia New Zealand Society of Palliative Medicine
  • Australian College of Nurse Practitioners
  • Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine
  • Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association
  • Carers Australia
  • National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Ageing and Aged Care Council
  • National Rural Health Alliance
  • Palliative Care Nurses Australia
  • Palliative Care Social Work Australia
  • Palliative Care Queensland
  • Palliative Care NSW
  • Palliative Care ACT
  • Palliative Care Victoria
  • Palliative Care Tasmania
  • Palliative Care South Australia
  • Palliative Care Western Australia
  • Palliative Care Northern Territory
The case for improved remuneration of palliative care in primary care.pdf

 

 

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