Page 5039 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 26 October 2011
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provided with respite to maintain their role. Another important aspect of this new service is that it will provide transport to the patients. Too often if transport is the responsibility of the carer, they or the patient will not access a service or activity. By having someone provide transport there is greater certainty that the respite will actually occur.
There is a strong and growing demand in the number of people who wish to die at home. The survey conducted by Palliative Care Australia showed that 74 per cent of respondents wanted to die at home. This is consistent with overseas findings but contrasts sharply with reality, as only 16 per cent remain at home, 20 per cent die in hospices, 10 per cent in nursing homes and the remaining 54 per cent in hospitals.
During the debate about the sale of Calvary and the hospice the community raised concerns about existing home-based palliative care services. I quote:
Since home based palliative care management transferred to LCM nursing staff the resources available to provide palliative care in the community appear to be considerably less than when home based palliative care was part of ACT Health. Consumers are expressing concerns about these reductions in available resources while the need is growing and the population increasing.
Another point raised during the debate was that consumers wanted improvements to the current support and consultancy model of home-based palliative care services in the ACT and a best practice home-based service that is socially inclusive. These are matters that should be considered by an independent review.
It is quite clear that Clare Holland House will continue to be owned by the ACT government. I think we are fortunate in the ACT to have a hospice that is under secular ownership. There have been questions raised by groups, such as the Health Care Consumers Association, as to whether the ACT needs a second hospice, be it at the new hospital site or on the south side. There is no definitive answer as yet, but this is, again, a discussion that needs to occur. There are also questions about whether Clare Holland House should be expanded. Given planning and development can take quite some time, we need to start planning now for those services in the immediate future.
Another factor affecting the success of a person’s journey through palliative care is the development and implementation of advanced care plans. A survey conducted by Palliative Care Australia shows that a majority of Australians have not discussed dying with their loved ones, as less than 20 per cent have recorded any sort of plan for their end of life care. We know that the resources behind ACT Health’s respecting patient choices program, which promotes and facilitates advanced care planning, are limited and in demand. COTA made a budget submission last year requesting funds to promote advanced care planning, but that submission was not successful. Consumers have also questioned whether advanced care plans are always followed because there are situations where families or doctors can sometimes intervene. More work needs to be done to ensure that advanced care plans are promoted and followed, which is why this is included in the motion I have moved today.
In conclusion, I would like to encourage all members to support this motion today. Now is the right time to commission an independent review of palliative care services.
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