A new strategy and workforce plan delivers on the Palaszczuk Government’s 2020 election commitment to invest an additional $171 million investment to improve palliative and end-of-life care for Queenslanders.
Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Yvette D’Ath said the five-year Palliative and End-of-Life Care Strategy and Queensland Health Specialist Palliative Care Workforce Plan would ensure more specialised services and support for people with life-limiting illnesses.
“The Palaszczuk Government recognises the right of all Queenslanders to die with dignity, regardless of whether they live in the city or the country,” Minister D’Ath said.
“We know that people living with life limited illness want choice and a greater say in where they wish to die.
“Our government is ensuring Queenslanders’ palliative and end-of-life care journeys are person-centered, compassionate, equitable and accessible by providing supportive palliative care and end of life for those who are eligible and who choose this option.
“Through our strategy we are committed to delivering new community-based care in regional, rural, and remote areas, supporting people’s preferences to receive care closer to, or in, their home.
“Over half of the additional investment ($102 million) will be used to attract, recruit, train and grow our specialist palliative care workforce – that means more nurses, doctors, physios, and counsellors to provide care through our growing hospital network.
“The workforce investment will be multi-disciplinary and contribute to holistic and spiritual health and wellbeing when living and dying from a life-limiting illness.
“This represents an 87 per cent increase or an extra 231 full-time frontline employees, in our palliative care workforce so we can meet the increasing demand across the state,”
“This means more nurses, medical practitioners, allied health professionals and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health workers across the State.”
Minister D’Ath said the Queensland Government had already committed $55 million to Blue Care to help deliver more services in people’s homes in regional and remote communities.
“First Nations communities will also benefit from a significant increase in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers, as well as targeted funding to trial innovative models of care to support families experiencing sad news and/or sorry business when losing a loved one or community member,” she said.
“We will be providing recurrent funding for Pall Consult, a secondary consultation service that supports our ambulance services, our GPs and other physicians treating and supporting people palliating and at end of life.
“These services will complement our commitment to new and improved information, referral, and digital services to support connected care.”
Under the new strategy funding will also be provided for before and after death bereavement support for families.
Minister D’Ath said the strategy was in addition to existing Queensland Government funding for palliative care in our hospitals. The Government will also continue palliative care at home services for people under the age of 65 in the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Metro North and Metro South, and West Moreton Hospital and Health Services (HHS) areas.
