​NSW Health today released findings from a NSW Government survey which sought community views on how local palliative care needs can best be met.

Coinciding with the launch of National Palliative Care Week (20-26 May) in Sydney today, NSW Health Deputy Secretary Dr Nigel Lyons said the Palliative Care Survey attracted 2,000 responses, which will be used to develop an End of Life Framework for NSW.

“The responses show overwhelming support for priorities that were identified through roundtable meetings and consultation workshops the NSW Government held last year, including calls for a more skilled workforce and patient-centred care,” Dr Lyons said.

In 2017, Minister for Health Brad Hazzard and Parliamentary Secretary Leslie Williams conducted 10 roundtable meetings and two consultation workshops around NSW, involving community and health professionals, to identify priorities for palliative care. Communities were then given further opportunity to provide feedback through the survey.

“NSW Health is absolutely committed to providing a palliative care system that meets the needs of those who are directly impacted – patients, carers, families and clinicians,” Dr Lyons said.

“Our top priority is to increase access to palliative care services across regional, rural and metropolitan areas and expand the choices available to people at the end of their lives.

“Palliative Care Week is an opportunity to focus on what matters most to people at the end of life and look at how we can continue working with organisations such as Palliative Care NSW to support patients and volunteers.”

The NSW Government has increased palliative care funding to record levels, investing an additional $100 million over four years in 2017-18 on top of the $210 million spent on palliative care services each year.

The Palliative Care Survey report outcomes can be viewed on the NSW Health website at: Palliative Care Survey Summary Report.