Advocates for palliative care are making an urgent call to the state government over a shortage of specialist services in NSW.
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According to Cancer Council NSW, there are not enough palliative care doctors and nurses to meet the needs of the community. NSW needs 10 more full time palliative care physicians, at a minimum, to be brought in line with national palliative care recommendations.
NSW falls behind every other state and territory when it comes to the number of palliative care nurses per head of population, with Cancer Council NSW identifying that NSW needs 129 more full time palliative care nurses to bring us up to the standard of the rest of Australia. To ensure Aboriginal people can access the care and support they need Cancer Council NSW is also calling for culturally appropriate palliative care for Aboriginal people.
Debra Summer is a campaign volunteer from Cobargo who cares for palliative care.
“We believe that when someone has a terminal illness, they deserve the best possible palliative care, whenever and wherever it is needed,” Ms Summer said.
“Palliative care means people can keep doing the things they love for as long as possible and that families can make the most of the time they have left.
“It is saddening to think that many people in NSW are unable to access specialist palliative care and support because there just aren’t enough staff to support them,” she said.
“We know that the current palliative care doctors and nurses do a wonderful job, but they are stretched to meet demands across the state.
“It is a reality that, despite the hard work and dedication of researchers, cancer continues to take too many lives, young and old.
“Palliative care services are an essential part of the care of the terminally ill, and of the families who support them, and we need more of them.”
Specialist palliative care allows people with advanced cancer to maintain their quality of life in a way that is meaningful to them. It is provided by a multidisciplinary team including specially qualified and experienced doctors and nurses. It caters for physical, practical, emotional and spiritual needs of patients, families and carers.
The NSW Government has acknowledged, in its state action plan for palliative care, that there are gaps in specialist palliative care services in regional, rural and remote areas of NSW, and for Aboriginal people.
“The NSW Government must take action now to close the gap in current palliative care services, and prepare for the increased demand for these services, as more people across the state are affected by chronic illnesses,” said Debra Summer.
Community members across the Bega Valley area can support Cancer Council NSW’s I Care for Palliative Care campaign by signing the pledge for Minister Hazzard to end the palliative care shortage www.canact.com.au/palliative_care_pledge
Community members can do this at the campaign launch on Tuesday, February 21, at Candelo Books, Carp St, Bega, at 5pm. Bega Valley resident Rose Liddall will talk of her family's experience with palliative care and Michael Menager will also be performing one of his beautiful songs. The campaign will also be at Cobargo Folk Festival all weekend with a special workshop taking place on Sunday, February 26, at 12pm.
The one-hour workshop will be a mixture of storytelling and questions and answers from a panel of local residents sharing their experience of palliative care, health professionals and specialists and advocates in palliative care.