Palliative care investment and reform
New investment
In addition to its ongoing investment in Queensland’s palliative care system, the Queensland Government has committed approximately $171 million for palliative care reform through until 2025-26. The investment of this funding is being driven by the Palliative and End-of-Life Care Strategy and complementary Queensland Health Specialist Palliative Care Workforce Plan. The funding is being used to expand and strengthen palliative care services for Queenslanders.
Reform activities include:
- developing and implementing a new Palliative and End-of-Life Care Strategy
- growing and investing in Queensland Health's specialist palliative care workforce through a Queensland Health Specialist Palliative Care Workforce Plan
- investing in community-based services to improve and promote choice for care at end-of-life through increased home-based and after-hours care, focusing on regional, rural and remote service provision outside of South East Queensland
- enhancing digital and telehealth solutions for consumers
- delivering 24/7 secondary consultation for palliative care practitioners through PallConsult, and
- providing education and advocacy about dying, death and advance care planning.
The Queensland Government is also committed to supporting the health and wellbeing of First Nations people and their families and will invest in targeted First Nations community-based palliative care initiatives. This investment will deliver new culturally and clinically appropriate care to support First Nations people and their loved ones during their end-of-life journey.
Palliative and End-of-Life Care Strategy
The Palliative and End-of-Life Care Strategy (Strategy) guides the direction of palliative care in Queensland and delivers the $171 million investment by designing, enabling, strengthening and connecting the system. The Strategy will result in palliative and end-of-life care that is person-centred, compassionate, equitable and accessible to Queenslanders.
- Palliative and End-of-Life Care Strategy
- Palliative and End-of-Life Care Strategy (summary)
- Palliative and End-of-Life Care Strategy - Easy Read
Watch the new Palliative and End-of-Life Care Strategy Auslan video
Queensland Health Specialist Palliative Care Workforce Plan
The Queensland Health Specialist Palliative Care Workforce Plan (Workforce Plan) aims to build and develop the Queensland Health specialist palliative care workforce, supporting the delivery of more palliative care services across Queensland, including regional and remote areas. The Workforce Plan outlines Queensland Health's commitment to delivering care by a skilled, supported, and multidisciplinary workforce for people with a life-limiting illness, their families and carers.
- Queensland Health Specialist Palliative Care Workforce Plan
- Queensland Health Specialist Palliative Care Workforce Plan (summary)
- Queensland Health Specialist Palliative Care Workforce Plan - Easy Read
Watch the new Queensland Health Specialist Palliative Care Workforce Plan Auslan video
Queensland Health undertook extensive consultation and engagement to support the development of the new Strategy and Workforce Plan.
New community-based palliative care services
New community-based palliative care services have been commissioned to increase access for people in regional and remote Queensland. These services are being delivered by Blue Care in the following nine Hospital and Health Service areas:
- Cairns and Hinterland
- Central Queensland
- Central West
- Darling Downs
- Mackay
- North West
- South West
- Townsville
- Wide Bay
The program aims to deliver person-centred care, recognising that each individual has different goals of care, needs, and preferences. It is designed to expand and build upon existing services, and complement services delivered by Hospital and Health Services.
These community-based palliative care services will enable more people to receive palliative care at home with the right supports for them, their families and other carers.
Other palliative care services and initiatives
In Queensland, palliative care services are delivered in a range of settings, including public and private hospitals, hospices, residential aged care facilities, and home-based care. Queensland Health provides funding for key palliative care services and initiatives including the:
- Telehealth Paediatric Palliative Care Service to support the delivery of services for children in regional, rural and remote areas of Queensland
- Medical Aids Subsidy Scheme – Palliative Care Equipment Program to provide assistive technology and equipment to support the delivery of palliative care at home
- Specialist Palliative Rural Telehealth Service (SPaRTa) to support the delivery of palliative care services in regional, rural and remote areas of Queensland
- PallConsult phone advice service for clinicians seeking advice. PallConsult also provides education and mentoring to community and residential aged care facility staff
- Palliative Care Queensland Ambulance Wish Program, which supports people with life-limiting conditions to fulfil their final wish, while promoting community awareness of the value of palliative care
- Specialist Palliative Care in Aged Care Project which supports the palliative care needs of people living in residential aged care facilities
- Development of resources to support Queenslanders planning for care at the end-of-life, including through the Office of Advance Care Planning.
Queensland Health also provides funding to non-government organisations for the delivery of palliative care services, which include clinical services, training, information, awareness and advocacy services.