1. A message from the Minister for Health
A message from the Minister
Life-limiting illness, dying, death, grief and bereavement are uniquely personal experiences. High-quality and accessible palliative and end-of-life care is a critical part of the health system. It improves quality of life for people with a life-limiting illness and can reduce unnecessary interventions and hospitalisations towards the end of life.
The Queensland Government has committed $171 million from 2021–22 to 2025–26 to strengthen palliative care across Queensland. This funding is in addition to the existing and ongoing investment Queensland Health provides for palliative care across the state.
By 2025–26, this will result in an additional annual investment of $66 million to fund more frontline nurses, doctors, and support staff, including bereavement counsellors. Over the next five years our frontline specialist palliative care workforce will increase by 87% across Queensland and more hospital, community and tele-support options will be available for all Queenslanders.
The Palliative and End-of-Life Care Strategy guides this investment to enable, strengthen and connect the system. The Strategy shows how we will collaborate to support access to existing, improved and new high-quality care and achieve Queenslanders' goals for care at the end of life.
Health equity is at the forefront of this Strategy. We are investing in more services and workforce in regional and remote Queensland to ensure we deliver accessible and culturally safe services for First Nations peoples, designed with community, to support a good death.
When developing the Strategy, Queensland Health consulted widely and reflected on the conversations and evidence that people presented to the Parliamentary Inquiry into aged care, end-of-life and palliative care about what they want and need for palliative and end-of-life care. I would like to thank our stakeholders, particularly consumers, their families and carers, for their input. The collective knowledge and lived experience we heard has directly informed this Strategy.
We know that improving Queensland’s palliative care system will require ongoing commitment from all levels of government, the sector, and consumers. The Strategy and its supporting actions are the first step in the journey to create meaningful change.
The Australian Government has an important role to play in the provision of palliative care for Queenslanders. State advocacy is a key part of this Strategy, and we are committed to working closely with the Australian Government to ensure palliative care in the community is prioritised. This Strategy also enables us to meet our commitments under the National Palliative Care Strategy 2018.
This Strategy provides a path for us to achieve our vision: that 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.