On 12 June the NSW Government announced a $100 million funding boost over four years for palliative care services. This announcement is a very good step as substantial funding for palliative care in NSW is so desperately needed. We are pleased to see the Government taking action in this regard and congratulate them on their action and positive funding commitment.
This is a significant investment and an indication of the strength of the community campaign to ensure that those who need palliative care can get it – when and where they need it. Thank you to our CanAct Community for the role they have played in the I Care for Palliative Care campaign. Read more about the NSW Government announcement here.
When people are diagnosed with a terminal illness they deserve the best possible care and support. But, right now, that’s not possible because there's a shortage of specialist palliative care in NSW.
This means the people we live and work with; people who join our organisations, who volunteer with us, and support our businesses, can’t make the best of the time they have left, to live life as well as possible.
That’s just not good enough.
And that's why the organisations and businesses above are calling on the NSW Government to fund more palliative care doctors and nurses across NSW and to meet the palliative care needs of Aboriginal communities as well.
Palliative care provides essential medical, practical, emotional and spiritual support to people with a terminal illness when they need it most.
Will your organisation or business join us and urge the NSW Government to end the palliative care shortage?
We stand with Cancer Council NSW in asking the NSW Health Minister, Brad Hazzard, to fund 10 additional specialist palliative doctors, at a minimum; 129 extra palliative care nurses; and culturally appropriate palliative care for Aboriginal people.