Implementing a palliative approach to care in remote New South Wales
Implementing a palliative approach to care in remote New South Wales Conference Paper
14th National Rural Health Conference: A World of Rural Health
- Author(s): Saurman, Emily, Wenham, S, Cumming, M, Lyle, David
- Secondary Author(s): Coleman, Leanne
- Published: 2017
- Publisher: National Rural Health Alliance
Abstract: National, state, and local policy objectives promote the provision of patient-centred high-quality palliative and end of life care for all rural and remote residents, either at home or as close to home as possible. In the far west of NSW there is a specialist palliative care service, however not every dying person requires or will access specialist palliative care. The successful specialist Model of Care has been modified for implementation in generalist settings as a palliative approach to care. The Far West Palliative Approach aims to improve the quality of life and experience of dying for all patients and their families through early identification, assessment and treatment of pain and other physical, psychological, social, cultural, and spiritual needs, respecting their care preferences, and supporting their carers and family in bereavement. Providing a palliative approach to care has been shown to be cost effective and improve patient outcomes including effective pain management, fewer hospital admissions, and dying in the place of their choosing. The Approach was originally implemented within three Residential Aged Care Facilities in Broken Hill. Operationally, it is focused on: improving clinical care for all patients/residents approaching the end of their lives building and maintaining a skilled rural and remote workforce with increased skill, knowledge, and confidence to provide a quality palliative approach to care enhancing communication, integration, and collaboration across rural and remote healthcare sites and services. Earlier analyses have demonstrated a change in care for all of their residents including increased coordination of care, improved advance care planning, reduced unnecessary hospital admissions, increased number of residents dying in their ‘home’, more timely referrals to the specialist service, and greater confidence within the facilities to manage end of life care. This Approach will be progressively adapted for local fit and implementation into other health service sites and settings within the Far West and other rural Local Health Districts. An evaluation will report on the adaptation, implementation, and impact of the new approach.
- Urls: http://www.ruralhealth.org.au/14nrhc/sites/default/files/Saurman%2C%20Emily_D7.pdf Available from, http://www.ruralhealth.org.au/14nrhc/program/concurrent-speakers Download site
- Publisher Location: Cairns