Develop knowledge, skills and confidence to deliver quality end-of-life care and embed a palliative approach to care
Palliative care is recognised as a fundamental part of healthcare that needs to be incorporated into routine practice and doesn’t only apply to people in terminal care. It is about allowing anyone with a life-limiting illness the right to live as well as possible, for as long as possible.
The Caring Circle
Murray PHN’s The Caring Circle project aims to improve the health and end-of-life care journey of people in rural and remote Victoria living with a life-limiting illness (non-cancer), through embedding early advance care planning discussions and integrated patient-centred strategies. The Caring Circle project is funded by the Australian Department of Health and Aged Care’s Greater Choices for at Home Palliative Care measure. Death remains a taboo topic and is surrounded by fear, denial and removed or sterilised from discussion on a daily basis. Australians are living longer due to advances in medical technology but are dying at their least preferred places – most at hospitals (54%) or residential care (32%), with only few (14%) dying comfortably at home.
Murray, Gippsland and Western Victoria PHNs identified similar needs in palliative care professional development, capacity building and system improvement among general practices in their regions.
Opportunity
A cross-regional Victorian PHN collaborative formed in 2022 to leverage existing care systems and resources. This is a holistic approach to address the needs of regional and remote Victoria’s progressively ageing population living with life-limiting illnesses and enhance GPs’ capacity to coordinate their care.
Goals
Build sustainable palliative care practices in regional primary health settings
Facilitate primary care access to education for end-of-life patient care needs
Leverage existing knowledge and skills of regional primary care practitioners to enhance capability
Increase opportunities for information sharing and collaborative practices between regional general practices.
The Palliative care quality improvement toolkit, developed by the Regional Victorian PHN Collaborative (see above section), is a guide for practice staff to develop knowledge, skills and confidence in delivering quality end-of-life care and embedding a palliative approach to care.
The toolkit provides a suite of strategies and quality improvement activities, including training and education, to build systems to support the identification and timely care coordination of patients living with life-limiting illness. It can be used by practices and individual professionals as evidence for:
Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) accreditation standards
Continuous professional development points.
The toolkit is currently being piloted across regional and remote Victorian general practices to identify opportunities for model expansion. Once the pilot is completed, the toolkit will be available for download on this webpage. Subscribe to our eNewsletter for updates.
Your Quality Improvement Consultant may be able to assist with QI activities related to end-of-life care and palliative care.
The Department of Health and Aged Care funds organisations to produce resources and deliver education and training to health professionals. Visit the department’s website to find a program relevant to your role, scope of practice and learning needs.
HealthPathways is an online resource that gives clinicians up-to-date, localised clinical and referral information. Pathways provide clear, concise guidance for assessing and managing patients with particular symptoms or conditions, as well as outlining the most appropriate referral pathways.
To access HealthPathways links, you must be registered and logged in. Click here to request free access.
Generous, M. A., & Keeley, M. (2017). Wished for and avoided conversations with terminally ill individuals during final conversations. Death Studies, 41(3), 162-172. doi:10.1080/07481187.2016.1236850
Broad, J., Gott, M., Hongsoo, K., Chen, H. and Connolly, M. (2013). Where do people die? An international comparison of the percentage of deaths occurring in hospital and residential care settings in 45 populations, using published and available statistics, International Journal of Public Health, 58, p 257-267
Leadership
Collaboration
Respect
Accountability
Innovation
Murray PHN acknowledges its catchment crosses over many unceded First Nations Countries, following the Dhelkunya Yaluk (Healing River).
We pay our respects and give thanks to the Ancestors, Elders and Young people for their nurturing, protection and caregiving of these sacred lands and waterways, acknowledging their continuing cultural, spiritual and educational practices.
We are grateful for the sharing of Country and the renewal that Country gives us. We acknowledge and express our sorrow that this sharing has come at a personal, spiritual and cultural cost to the wellbeing of First Nations peoples. We commit to addressing the injustices of colonisation across our catchment, and to listening to the wisdom of First Nations communities who hold the knowledge to enable healing. We extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Leadership 
Collaboration 
Respect 
Accountability 
Innovation 
