Creating a healthier, better connected Gippsland.

Greater Choice for At Home Palliative Care

Palliative care is care that helps people live their life as fully and as comfortably as possible when living with a life-limiting illness and at end of life.

Family-centred model of care

Palliative care is a family-centred model of care, meaning that family and carers can receive practical and emotional support. Palliative care identifies and treats symptoms which may be physical, emotional, spiritual or social.

 Because palliative care is based on individual need, the services offered will differ but may include:

  • Relief of pain and other symptoms
  • Equipment need to aid care at home
  • Assistance for families to come together to talk about sensitive issues
  • Planning for future medical treatment decisions and goals of care
  • Support for people to meet cultural obligations
  • Support for emotional, social and spiritual concerns
  • Counselling and grief support
  • Referrals to respire care services

Palliative care is available for people of any age who have been informed they have a serious illness that cannot be cured. Palliative care assists people with illnesses such as cancer, motor neurone disease and end-stage kidney or lung disease to manage symptoms and improve quality of life.

For some people, palliative care may be beneficial from the time of diagnosis with a serious life-limiting illness. Palliative care can be given alongside treatments given by other doctors.

Where is palliative care provided?

 Palliative care is provided where the person and their family prefer, where possible, and may include the home, hospital, hospice or a residential aged care facility.

(Reference:  Palliative Care Australia)

What is the Greater Choice for At Home Palliative Care project?

Gippsland PHN has been provided funding by the Australian Department of Health and Aged Care under The Greater Choice for At Home Palliative Care (GCfAHPC) measure to coordinate palliative care activities.

Palliative care project activities include:

  • Conducting a Gippsland palliative care needs assessment
  • Supporting Residential Aged Care Facilities to access palliative care medication
  • Increasing access to palliative care education and training for health professionals and community
  • Investigating and trialling palliative care digital health tools
  • Supporting quality Improvement for palliative care in general practice

Gippsland PHN has employed a Project Coordinator and Project Officer to support the delivery of the project. We are seeking Expressions of Interest from people interested in participating in project activities including a project advisory group, education and training, needs assessments and quality improvement activities.

To register your interest, please click here:  https://gphn.foliogrc.com/contracts/new?contract_template=168&token=ns3oDqrhHFV5P9bsuMvx