A report released today by the Australian Institute of Health
and Welfare shows that overall, palliative care services in
Australia are generally meeting four national 'high-level'
performance indicators of the National Palliative Care
Strategy.
The report, National palliative care performance indicators:
report on the National Palliative Care Performance Indicator Data
Collection 2005, presents the findings of the first national
collection of performance indicator data for Australia's palliative
care sector, and shows the extent to which key areas of the
national strategy have been implemented.
Ms Clara Jellie of the Institute's National Data Development and
Standards Unit said the National Palliative Care Strategy
represents the commitment of governments, service providers and
community organisations, to the development and implementation of
policies, strategies and services across Australia for the care of
people with life-limiting illnesses.
The report found that, while most performance indicators are
being met, there is room for improvement in the proportion of
services that routinely undertake formal assessment against
standards developed by Palliative Care Australia. These standards
cover issues such as respect for the wishes of patients and their
families, the need for care coordination and the provision of
bereavement care.
'The majority of agencies reported that they do not formally
monitor and evaluate their service against these standards;
however, this may be because these agencies are assessing their
service on an informal basis or are using other standards,' Ms
Jellie said.
No major differences were obvious across different palliative
care settings. For example, between services that mainly deliver
care in community settings, those that mainly deliver care in
inpatient settings, and those that provide a similar amount of
services in both settings.
The main findings of the report were:
- The proportion of administrative health regions that have a
strategic plan for palliative care is 66%.
- The proportion of palliative care agencies that actively
collect feedback from patients, clients and staff relating to
service delivery is 71%.
- The proportion of palliative care agencies that have formal
working partnerships with other healthcare service providers is
96%.
- The proportion of palliative care agencies that routinely
undertake assessment against industry-agreed standards is 34%.
24 August 2006
Further information: Ms Clara Jellie, AIHW,
tel. 02 6244 1250 or mob. 0407 915 851
For media copies of the report: Publications
Officer, AIHW, tel 61 2 6244 1032.
Availability: Check the AIHW Publications
Catalogue for availability of the National palliative care
performance indicators: report on the National Palliative Care
Performance Indicator Data Collection 2005 report.