10. Better palliative and end-of-life care for Queenslanders
Better palliative and end-of-life care for Queenslanders
Our vision
Queenslanders with a life-limiting illness and their families receive equitable, compassionate and high-quality palliative care that meets their individual needs, preferences and goals at the end of life.
The Strategy will help us to achieve this vision by including initiatives for improved models of care at the system level and the local level that improve palliative care experiences and outcomes for Queenslanders.
Growing and supporting our specialist palliative care workforce will be critical to achieving our vision. The Workforce Plan guides how a sustainable specialist workforce for Queensland will be established, developed and maintained over time to better meet the current and future needs of consumers and families.
Through the Workforce Plan and new investment, the frontline specialist palliative care workforce will be increased across Hospital and Health Services. An expanded specialist palliative care workforce will also support the primary care sector to build capability and their skills to support people to receive care in the community.
Expanding services outside of southeast Queensland and facilitating more care at home are key focus areas under the Strategy. Investing in these services will support people to achieve their goals at end of life and reduce pressure on our hospital system. Partnerships across sectors, including with the primary health sector, will help us to integrate services and provide better care for people, allowing them to die with dignity.
People with a life-limiting illness, their families and carers are the foundation of the palliative care system. Many palliative care services are provided by families and carers with support from health professionals. Through this Strategy, there will be more support for people with a life-limiting illness, their families and carers to ensure they have better outcomes and are supported after a loved one’s death.
Principles
The Strategy has seven principles that guide the goals, actions and intended outcomes of the Strategy.
* Care is high-quality, evidence-based and meets people’s needs.
* Care is holistic and integrated across the continuum of care.
* People with a life-limiting illness, their families and carers are supported from the time of diagnosis, with support continuing for families and carers after death.
* Care is person-centred, compassionate, culturally safe, and respectful of the preferences and unique cultural and spiritual needs of people with a life-limiting illness, their families, and carers.
* Care is equitable, accessible, and culturally safe for all Queenslanders, when and where it is needed.
* Information about palliative and end-of-life care is available to support informed decision-making.
* Life-limiting illness, dying, death, grief, and bereavement are recognised as a normal part of life and are planned for.
Enhancing our palliative care system will take effort over time. This Strategy identifies the wide range of actions we must take to improve palliative care in Queensland, and is an important step in the reform journey.
What the Strategy will deliver
The Strategy has seven goals. These are what we expect to achieve by implementing the actions outlined in the Strategy.
Goals
Information about care
People with a life-limiting illness, their families and carers receive information that enables and supports them to make informed choices about palliative and end-of-life care.
Support for families and carers
Families and carers receive timely and compassionate support while caring for people with a life-limiting illness and during bereavement.
Data and research
Research and performance data are used to continually improve palliative care policy settings and services.
Access to quality services
People with a life-limiting illness can access high quality, efficient and integrated palliative care services, at the right time and in the right place.
Individual needs and preferences
People with a life-limiting illness receive compassionate and high-quality care that is aligned to their preferences and is respectful of their culture, age, identity, emotional, and spiritual needs.
Skilled workforce
Care is delivered by a skilled, supported, and multidisciplinary workforce that is accessible for people with a life-limiting illness, their families and carers.
Governance and advocacy
State governance of this strategy drives action, accountability, and sustainability of funded services.
Making it happen
The Strategy aims to reform palliative care service delivery in Queensland through investment and policy to design, enable, strengthen and connect the palliative and end-of-life care service delivery system.
This approach is outlined as follows:
2022-23 Design
New initiatives are co-designed, backed by evidence and enable place-based models of care.
2023-24 Enable
New frontline workforce improves models of care.
Community-based care services increase and support care at home for Queenslanders in regional and remote areas.
2024-25 Strengthen
Workforce is expanded and specialist support is increased to strengthen service delivery and local level responses.
Support for workforce consumers and carers is strengthened across sectors and with key partners.
2025-26 onwards Connected
Innovative models of care are expanded and integrated across the system. Action is evaluated and proven approaches are embedded in service delivery and local models of care.