News

PCA is providing updates on shortages of medicines in Australia. Of particular concern is the current supply of oral liquid morphine products, critical for patients of all ages in the last phase of their life with diseases including cancer, advanced lung disease, and Motor Neurone Disease. There are details on the PCA’s website on current advice from the TGA regrading alternative temporary (Section 19A products) liquid morphine medicines.

Everyone will experience death at some stage in their life, but we can be reluctant to think about, talk about, and plan for it. The CareSearch Dying2Learn packs are a practical resource for your service to help start these important conversations. 

In partnership with the Council of Capital Cities Lord Mayors, Palliative Care Australia supported each of the state and territory palliative care peak bodies to host a forum in their respective capital cities to harness information on barriers and enablers, identify any consistencies in these, and look for localised solutions. A summative report of those forums was produced.

State and Territory Carers organisations are asking carers to complete the National Carer Survey. Conducted every two years, this survey offers a platform for carers across Australia to share their experiences and perspectives. Carers are people who look after someone (or help to look after someone) who has a disability, mental illness, drug or alcohol dependency, chronic condition, dementia, terminal or serious illness, or who needs care due to ageing? The survey will help carer organisations to understand and address the needs of the diverse carer community.  

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has released the National palliative care measures—a new set of care measures which will allow an assessment of the current state of the systems and provide a tool for sector improvements. These measures are designed to support the National Palliative Care Strategy by tracking if ‘people affected by life-limiting illnesses get the care they need to live well.’

AIHW has also released its report on Palliative care and health service use for people with life-limiting conditions. This is the first national study to examine palliative health service use across multiple settings (hospital and community) and by patient characteristics (sociodemographic and diagnosis) for a population receiving specialist palliative care and a population in need of palliative care.