Palliative care is person and family centred care that focuses on improving quality of life for people living with a life‑limiting illness. It aims to prevent and relieve suffering by addressing physical symptoms, as well as emotional, social and spiritual needs.
Palliative care can be provided at any stage of illness and alongside active treatment. End‑of‑life care is a part of palliative care and supports people and their families in the final weeks or months of life.
For some patients, accessing palliative care from the time of diagnosis of a serious life‑limiting illness can improve quality of life.
Palliative Care is delivered, where possible, in the individuals preferred setting, including:
General Practitioners support early access to palliative care and provide ongoing management, with specialist community palliative care support as needed.
South Eastern Sydney Local Health District
Community Palliative Care and Supportive Care Clinics: Prince of Wales Hospital, St George Hospital, Sutherland Hospital, Sacred Heart and Calvary.
Sydney Local Health District
Community Palliative Care: RPA Hospital, Concord Hospital.
The End‑of‑Life Pathway is a short‑term pathway under the Support at Home program. It supports participants who have been diagnosed with three months or less to live and wish to remain at home, by providing funding for in‑home aged care services.
General Practitioners can find further information about the pathway and how to refer patients for additional end-of-life support here.
General Practitioners play a key role in initiating and supporting Advance Care Planning, helping individuals clarify and document their values, goals and preferences for future care.
Printed NSW Health Advanced Care Directive booklets can be ordered here.
HealthcarePathways hold a number of different management pathways for Palliative care and Advanced Care Planning.
Sydney LHD: Palliative Care HealthcarePathways
South Eastern Syndey LHD: Palliative Care HealthcarePathways
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners has guidelines on Advance Care Planning.
The SPICT™ tool (Supportive and Palliative Care Indicators Tool) helps identify people with deteriorating health due to advanced conditions or a serious illness, and prompts holistic assessment and future care planning.
Dementia Australia has developed the Start2Talk resources to assist with advance care planning.
The Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care provides an overview of advance care planning, including how to upload an Advance Care Directive to My Health Record.
The CareSearch GP Kit offers practical, evidence-informed tools to support GPs deliver quality palliative care.
The Greater Choice for At Home Palliative Care program, delivered through Primary Health Networks (PHNs), aims to design and implement innovative and locally appropriate initiatives that improve access to safe, quality palliative care at home.
Current CESPHN initiatives include:
Health Referral Forms
My Patients
Palliative care
