8. Investments in palliative care
Investments in palliative care
We have a track record of investing in palliative care to improve accessibility and equity across the state.
Existing investment and innovation in palliative care includes all the following:
Funding over four years from 2021–22 for Ambulance Wish Queensland,
Jointly funding the Specialist Palliative Care in Aged Care Project for equitable access to specialist palliative care in residential aged care facilities,
Funding the Office of Advance Care Planning to deliver education, advocacy and raise awareness about Advance Care Planning,
Establishing PallConsult, a service that supports and builds capacity across Queensland for community-based clinicians,
Funding for the Specialist Palliative Rural Telehealth Service to support the delivery of palliative care services in regional, rural and remote areas of Queensland,
Funding for the Paediatric Palliative Care Outreach Collaborative to support the delivery of services for children in regional and remote areas,
Funding for the Medical Aids Subsidy Scheme - Palliative Care Equipment Program to support
the delivery of palliative care services at home,
Funding Palliative Care Queensland to build community capacity through community development, engagement and awareness,
We have service agreements with the following non-government organisations to deliver community-based and hospice services:
* Cittamani Hospice Service
* Ipswich Hospice Care Ltd
* Hopewell Hospice Services (Wesley Mission Queensland)
* Karuna Hospice Services Ltd
* Little Haven Cooloola Sunshine Coast Palliative Care Association Inc
* St Vincent’s Private Hospital
* Toowoomba Hospice Association Inc
* Hummingbird House (Wesley Mission Queensland)
* Katie Rose Cottage Hospice
Further includes $13.3 million in 2021-22 to non-government organisations to deliver community-based care, training, and information and awareness services
$17 million provided to Hospital and Health services to deliver new palliative care services in regional and rural areas of Queensland across 2019–20 and 2020–21
$157 million approximate investment by Hospital and Health Services to provide palliative care services in 2021–22
New investment in palliative care
We will invest approximately $171 million in additional funds across 2021–22 to 2025–26 to strengthen palliative care services. By 2025–26, this will result in an additional annual investment of $66 million per year. This funding increase is in addition to existing funding we provide for Hospital and Health Services, which will continue to increase over time. In 2025–26, Queensland’s total spend on palliative care is estimated to be close to $250 million per annum.
The additional funding will be allocated to the following initiatives:
Develop a new Palliative and End-of-Life Care Strategy
Total funding to 2025–26 is $0.5 million.
Grow Queensland Health’s frontline specialist palliative care workforce, supported by a workforce plan
Total funding to 2025–26 is $102.5 million.
Invest in community-based services to meet local needs
$54.8 million.
Enhance palliative care digital services and telehealth support
$7.2 million.
Deliver 24/7 secondary consultation for palliative care practitioners
$4.3 million.
And provide education and advocacy about dying, death and advance care planning
Total funding to 2025–26: $1.6 million.
The investment will gradually increase over five years to ensure that services grow in a sustainable way and that workforce is available to fill new specialist palliative care workforce positions that we are creating.