Funding Boost for National Palliative Care Program

The National Palliative Care Program has had a 25 per cent boost in funding over three years, to improve palliative care services and training.
Allocation for the funding, which totals $52 million, has not yet been finalised, though it will continue to support education and training opportunities in palliative care for health professionals, and promote the importance of advance care planning.
‘This is fantastic news to receive during National Palliative Care Week,’ said Dr Yvonne Luxford, Chief Executive Officer of Palliative Care Australia. ‘It confirms the future of these important quality improvement and educational programs for a further three years.
‘Palliative Care Australia looks forward to receiving  further details about the mechanisms for allocating these funds and working with the government to ensure that these valuable national programs are well supported to grow and develop.’
The theme for National Palliative Care Week (25-31 May) is Palliative care is everyone’s business – let’s work
together. The week celebrates the diverse range of people who work in palliative care and the important role
they play in ensuring quality care at the end of life for all.
‘Many of these programs are in workforce support and development, and this announcement fits well with
the theme of National Palliative Care Week which has a workforce focus,’ said Dr Luxford.
Today’s announcement follows last week’s news that the World Health Assembly unanimously passed
a resolution on palliative care which, among other things, calls for countries to ensure that palliative care is
embedded in the basic and continuing education and training for all health workers and becomes a core
component of health systems.
Assistant Minister for Health Minister Fiona Nash said the State and Territory Governments were responsible for delivering palliative care services, while the Australian Government supports projects that enhance the overall quality of services.
"This funding is in addition to the support the Australian Government provides to state and territories to operate palliative care services, the subsidies for palliative care medicines under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, and palliative care consultations under the Medical Benefits Scheme.”
Ms Nash said  less than one per cent of Australians over 70 has an advance care directive in place.
“For most of us, our mortality is something we don’t like to dwell on, but we all want to know that our wishes will be followed so we can have a comfortable and dignified death when the time comes. “An advance care directive lets your loves ones, your doctor and other health professionals know about the level of care and the quality of life you’d like to have if you’re no longer able to make those decisions on your own.
“Palliative care is everyone’s business. Everyone should have a conversation with their loved ones about advanced care. It’s a difficult conversation to have, but a necessary one.”