Concern over palliative care access
Palliative Care Australia (PCA) is concerned by figures which show less than a quarter of residents who died in residential aged care facilities last year had access to palliative care.
Palliative Care Australia (PCA) is concerned by figures which show less than a quarter of residents who died in residential aged care facilities last year had access to palliative care.
The figures were released recently by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW).
Dr Yvonne Luxford, PCA chief executive, said the report was further evidence that “more needs to be done” to access palliative care in residential aged care.
“With about 50,000 residents dying in aged care facilities each year, how many people are missing out on quality end of life care?” she asked.
The report also showed that over a five year period, the number of filled prescriptions from GPs for palliative care medicines decreased.
“We need to be really clear about why the rate of filled prescriptions has decreased,” Dr Luxford said.
“Is it because GPs are referring people onto specialists, aren’t prescribing these types of medications, or is it because people can’t afford to fill their prescription? We definitely need to investigate this further.”
Attendances by palliative medicine specialists doubled over the past five years, whereas the number of specialists has actually decreased from 2007‐2009.
Dr Luxford has called for strategies to encourage more clinicians into palliative care.
Palliative care for our ageing population has been under the spotlight this past year; the themes for World Health Day and World Hospice and Palliative Care Day both focused on ageing, and palliative care initiatives were also included as part of the government’s Living Longer, Living Better aged care reform package announced in April.
“It is great to be able to look at palliative care provision in residential aged care and the publication of this report is timely.
“It is also a great companion document to the Senate Inquiry Report into Palliative Care in Australia which also recognised the need for a nationally funded framework for palliative care research.
“Without a good evidence base it is impossible to implement and measure improvements to our health and aged care systems. PCA commends the AIHW for this report and is pleased that it will be released annually.”
