Topic: Palliative care

caring@home has released the Prompts for End-of-Life Planning (PELP) Framework, formerly known as the Palliative and End-of-Life Care Framework – Last 12 Months of Life.

The PELP Framework guides proactive, high-quality end-of-life care across all care settings to assist health professionals in delivering person-centred care during the last 12 months of life.

The framework includes prompts which can support:

• identification of patients suitable for a palliative approach to care
• identification of four clinical end-of-life processes:
  • advance care planning and person-centred care based on need (at risk of dying)
  • transition focus of care needs from restorative to palliative (likely to die soon)
  • terminal care needs (dying)
  • after-death care (bereavement)

The PELP Framework was developed by caring@home, a National Palliative Care Project funded by the Australian Government, in collaboration with a National Advisory Committee which included GPs, palliative medicine specialists, nurse practitioners and nurses.

Find out more

SWSPHN staff gathered to mark National Palliative Care Week and celebrate the launch of the updated version of our A Journey into Sorry Business booklet, on Tuesday, 21 May.

SWSPHN partnered with local Aboriginal Elders, the Gandangara Local Aboriginal Land Council and South Western Sydney Local Health District to develop the booklet which was first launched in 2021.

A Journey into Sorry Business supports First Nations people to share their wishes and preferences for their end-of-life care through ‘sorry business’ – cultural practices and protocols associated with death.

Staff enjoyed a morning tea and heard from Kate Noble from our Integration and Priority Population team, who holds the palliative care portfolio.

Kate talked about the booklet and how Palliative Care Australia is highlighting the growing need to educate and empower Australians about quality of life towards the end-of-life.

You can download the booklet from our website or request a hard copy by emailing pomp@swsphn.com.au.

Find out more about National Palliative Care Week. 

The Australian Government-funded National Palliative Care project, CareSearch, has launched the CareSearchgp app, a digital tool providing GPs with terminal prescribing guidance and evidence-based information to support quality care at the end of life.

It includes information about:

• advance care planning
• recognising deterioration
• engaging in palliative care case conferences
• caring for the dying patient, and
• assisting families through stages of bereavement

The CareSearchgp app replaces and updates palliAGEDgp app which is being used by more than 5,000 GPs.

From 1 June, palliAGEDgp app will no longer be supported.

Find out more

Select pharmacies across South Western Sydney have volunteered to stock core medicines to support health professionals and carers to provide palliative care for people who wish to die at home or in an aged care setting.

SWSPHN commissioned the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia to deliver the Core Palliative Care Medicines – Building collaborative partnerships with Community Pharmacists project.

The project aims to minimise access barriers and facilitate timely prescription, supply and use of medicines for end-of-life symptom management.

The core palliative care medicines list addresses the main symptoms commonly seen during end-of-life – pain, delirium, nausea, dyspnoea, and noisy breathing.

Where clinically appropriate, prescribers should consider prescribing medicines from the list for patients who wish to die at home or in an aged care setting.

Visit our website to find:

• what medicines are being stocked
• which pharmacies stock those medicines

The Department of Health and Aged Care has provided guidance on Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) items for palliative care-related services.

• New MBS Level E Consultation items were established on 1 November 2023 for longer consultations of 60 minutes or more where clinically required. This allows better management for care of patients with chronic conditions and complex care needs, including patients with multiple chronic conditions, and patients in need of advance care planning, palliative care and end-of-life care.

• While there are no specific items on the MBS for voluntary assisted dying (VAD), existing general attendance items may be used to claim for services delivered by practitioners for end-of-life care and planning, which can include undertaking eligibility assessments and counselling for VAD. Benefits cannot be claimed for consultations related to VAD administration. The addition of the MBS Level E item may support GPs participating in VAD where consultations can take more time.

Find out more at MBS Online – Introduction of new Level E consultation

CareSearch advice on fees

The CareSearch palliative care knowledge network has also prepared guidance around MBS items which can be used for palliative care-related services or consults for primary care and residential aged care settings, allied health, nurse practitioners and community pharmacists.

Find out more at Remuneration for Palliative Care Services

In preparation for the commencement of voluntary assisted dying in NSW on 28 November, registration is now open to become an authorised voluntary assisted dying practitioner.

Visit the NSW Health website to see if you are eligible, then complete your registration application via the NSW Voluntary Assisted Dying Portal.

Authorised coordinating, consulting and administering practitioners will receive comprehensive training and support to guide eligible patients seeking to access voluntary assisted dying through the process.

Additional resources:

• The NSW Health website provides information relating to voluntary assisted dying and will continue to be updated as implementation progresses.
• People can keep up-to-date on the implementation by subscribing to the mailing list.
• Registrations are now open for the NSW Voluntary Assisted Dying Conference on Friday, 29 September.
• A voluntary assisted dying resource page is available in HealthPathways.
• A RACGP webinar recording, Introduction to voluntary assisted dying, is available.

Next RACGP webinar is on 16 October 2023.