The ϳԹ Government is investing more than $4.4 million in non-government organisations to enhance support and care for people nearing the end of their life.
The End of Life and Palliative Care Non-Government Organisations Grants Program will provide more than $3.5 million in funding over four years to six organisations, including peak body Palliative Care ϳԹ.
Palliative Care ϳԹ has been funded $671,076 to deliver an expanded Community Conversations program across ϳԹ, which builds community capacity to have conversations about what matters most and to start advance care planning.
They will also deliver the PalliLEARN formal learning program, a course-based program designed to cultivate knowledge and compassion around death, dying and grieving.
The five other grants through the End of Life and Palliative Care Non-Government Organisations Grants Program have been awarded to organisations to deliver a broad range of community initiatives across ϳԹ:
Through a separate NGO grants process, Palliative Care ϳԹ has also been awarded $900,000 over three years to continue the delivery of the ϳԹ Palliative Care Volunteer Services Support Program.
This program champions palliative care volunteering, and supports palliative care volunteers and volunteer services, and their development.
For more information on Palliative Care ϳԹ and its initiatives supporting people nearing the end of their life, as well as their families and volunteers, visit Palliative Care ϳԹ.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Health, Ryan Park:
“The ϳԹ Government is committed to enhancing palliative care services and supports for all people across ϳԹ.
“These NGO initiatives that have been awarded grants will provide increased death and grief literacy, promote knowledge and implementation of advance care planning and provide increased grief and bereavement support for families and carers.
“The ϳԹ Government also recognises the central role that volunteers provide for the delivery of compassionate palliative care and support for patients and families.”
Quotes attributable to Palliative Care ϳԹ CEO Kirsty Blades
“Palliative care volunteers are actively involved in offering support and companionship to people receiving palliative care, their family, and carers.
“In ϳԹ, there are currently more than 1,100 volunteers from 38 palliative care volunteer services. Services may provide, among other things, psychosocial support, carer respite, grief and bereavement support, and biography work, in hospitals, and at home in the community.
“Funding of the Palliative Care Volunteer Services Support Program provides resources, education and support to palliative care volunteers and volunteer services and helps build capacity in the sector.”