Indigenous palliative care focus at 2015 palliative care conference
Palliative Care Australia’s (PCA) prestigious Ian Maddocks Guest Lecture at the 2015 Australian Palliative Care Conference, will focus on the need to improve service delivery to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, it was announced on Friday.
Alice Springs General Practitioner Dr Sally Banfield was selected from hundreds of abstracts submitted by authors working or studying in the palliative care field to deliver the lecture at this years conference.
The lecture is presented at each Australian Palliative Care conference by the author of the best abstract submitted by someone under the age of 40, who is working or studying in the field of palliative care.
Dr Banfield says it is a huge honour to be chosen and highlight the particular needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people when facing the end of life to her palliative care peers.
“It is a privilege to share this case series of Aboriginal patients 'returning to country' for their end-of-life journey. Discussion and debate will only assist in highlighting the unique needs of palliative care patients in our remote region,” she says.
“I would like this research to facilitate further discussion, research and thus improve
palliative care services for Indigenous Australians.
“In particular, the improvement of service delivery for those remote patients who may choose to 'return to country' during their care,” Dr Banfield says.
PCA chief executive officer (CEO) Liz Callaghan was pleased Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander issues would be discussed at the conference.
“Australia has so far to go in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and the palliative care sector is no exception. I was moved to hear stories about positive and negative experiences of palliative care from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their carers at a recent Palliative Care Northern Territory conference,” Ms Callaghan says.
“I look forward to working with inspiring doctors like Dr Banfield and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health organisations to further develop policy and leadership in culturally appropriate palliative care for all Australians,” she says.
The 13th Australian Palliative Care Conference is held in Melbourne on 1-4 September 2015. The Ian Maddocks Guest Lecture is delivered on Thursday, 3 September 2015 at 1.30pm.
