National End of Life Framework for the Future forum
Palliative Care Australia (PCA) will convene a national forum to oversee the development of a National End of Life Framework for the Future.
PCA chief executive officer, Donna Daniell, said that the framework will be instrumental in informing policy and service development to ensure that the needs of people who are dying and their families are met – in the context of a whole of system approach, which takes into account whole of population needs.
It will establish a shared vision for the development of high quality palliative and end-of-life care in Australia.
Ms Daniell said, “a comprehensive framework to guide system development is critical given the numerous reform processes, redesign initiatives and strategy development currently underway across the health and community care sectors.
“The forum will bring together experts in aged, primary, chronic illness and palliative care, service delivery and development, and quality. It will commence a national conversation with all key stakeholders, including patients and their families.
“Our vision is that the framework will be part of the foundation of the Australian health care system that ensures the needs of people approaching the end of life through the most effective and efficient system possible,” said Ms Daniell.
“We must ensure that the decisions to achieve fully integrated quality care at the end of life across all care settings are being informed by a shared vision, a sound framework and the right expertise.
“International developments suggest that Australia will fall behind other developed nations if we do not move to establish an agreed national framework,” she continued.
“Palliative Care Australia thoroughly supports the thrust of the Government’s health reform agenda, including the need to develop better partnerships between levels of government, providers and stakeholders, the need to coordinate and plan care across all care settings and the need to develop effective data to help measure performance.
The national forum is planned for August 2009 visit http://pallcare.org.au/ for more information.
