Sector news

Caring for someone with a life-limiting illness is a very important role that can be challenging. Caring whilst living in a regional, rural or remote area can bring further challenges. It can be more difficult to find and navigate health care and services and you are often managing both local services and metropolitan services. CarerHelp now has new pages dedicated to all Australians who are ‘Caring in the Country’. The new pages include factsheets about travelling for healthcare, finding local services, and using your community network. CarerHelp has also put together some videos of rural carers who have shared their lived experience and health providers discussing key issues and providing useful advice.

CarerHelp is offering free online sessions for carers with a health professional to provide information and guidance to carers. There are multiple session topics to choose from depending on where they are in the caring journey, from recent diagnosis of life-limiting illness through to bereavement. Please share with your families and find out more at: Register for online sessions - CarerHelp.

Community pharmacists play an important role in supporting families and carers who are providing care for a home-based person with a life-limiting illness. To support this role, pharmacists can now order the Community Palliative Care Resources Pharmacy Pack, developed by caring@home.

The Strategy outlines recommended steps to address national allied health workforce issues over the next 10 years. Members of the community and the health workforce can read about the consultation and provide feedback. Have your say before the Survey closes on 3 March 2025. For more information and to complete the survey, visit https://consultations.health.gov.au/primary-care-mental-health-division/nahwsdraft

Palliative Care Connect is a suite of navigation services that increase access and information to palliative care and bereavement support in South Australia. It offers an Aboriginal-specific navigation service, providing culturally safe guidance for Aboriginal people and their families who are living with sickness or close to finishing up. The service is accessible to people living in South Australia over the phone, or in person in Port Augusta and Whyalla. Aboriginal Palliative Care Navigators are available to give practical, emotional and bereavement support, as well as provide guidance on culturally respectful approaches to care, for health, community and aged care professionals working with Aboriginal people.