Palliative care services in Brimbank are set to be bolstered.
The North Western Melbourne Primary Health Network (NWMPHN) has been selected as one of 10 pilot sites as part of the federal government’s $8.3 million Greater Choice for At Home Palliative Care initiative to improve access to palliative care across Melbourne’s west.
Two staff will be employed to work with hospitals, community and specialist palliative care providers and residential aged care facilities to help improve the co-ordination and integration of palliative care services across the west.
NWMPHN chief executive Christopher Carter said the improvements will ensure that more people are able to receive palliative care in their own home, should they wish to.
“Around 90 per cent of people prefer to receive end of life care and die at home, but Australia has one of the lowest rates in the world of people dying outside of hospital or in residential aged care,” he said. “This measure directly addresses an identified need to increase the number of people who are able to make the choice to end their lives at home.”
NWMPHN executive director health systems integration Janelle Devereux said that while plans were still in their infancy, the additional resources would go a long way to eliminating existing flaws in the system.
“Services don’t always talk very well, but a codesign approach to dying at home will help eliminate a lot of those communication issues.
“We hold regular posts with Brimbank to find out ways to improve the ways services exist in a community setting so all changes will be based on the specific issues facing each area.
“We want to work with the community service providers and the community to establish the needs.”
