Palliative Care
The view that palliative care is provided in the final days of life to individuals with cancer-related conditions has changed significantly. Increases in health and life expectancy now see individuals living with a range of life-limiting conditions, including cancer, for extended periods.
Palliative care is the care provided to individuals as they move from active treatment of their condition to comfort and symptom management and is defined by the World Health Organization as:
"An approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problem associated with life-threatening illness, through the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification and impeccable assessment and treatment of pain and other problems, physical, psychosocial and spiritual"
Rural Palliative Care Project
The Rural Palliative Care Project (RPCP) commenced in April 2008 and concluded in April 2011. The project was funded by the Department of Health and Ageing and coordinated by the Australian General Practice Network.
The RPCP aimed to enhance GP knowledge, skills, educational opportunities and relationships with service providers involved in palliative care within the rural areas of the Division's boundaries and achieved this by:
- Enhancing common models of rural palliative care services, participating divisions and key stakeholders, including specialist palliative care services;
- Strengthening links between palliative care and mainstream service delivery; and
- Acknowledging broader consumer and community interests in relation to this topic.
The project had significant success in improving understanding of palliative care including awareness of services available for patient referral. Thank you to the palliative care service providers, GPs and practice staff who devoted time to this worthwhile project.
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