Tough week for palliative care

A LACK of funding for palliative care services in the State Budget has been described as “awful and ironic” given a recent parliamentary inquiry into the sector and the failure of a new euthanasia Bill.

Palliative Care Tasmania general manager Colleen Johnstone said while the acknowledgment of community palliative nursing and increased palliative services at the Mersey Hospital were encouraging, a lack of any other new funding was at odds with the Government’s recently released policy framework.

“The framework’s focus on workforce development and the important role of the community in end of life care appears not to have translated into funding for its implementation, or strengthening the sector,” Ms Johnstone said.

The Federal Government will provide $1.5 million over the next three years for Palli- ative Care Tasmania and the District Nurses as part of the Mersey funding deal.

But Ms Johnstone said the funding would not cover service delivery, with hospice@home having no certainty around funding.

The importance of palliative care was discussed at length in State Parliament this week during debate on the failed Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill.

The Bill was co-sponsored by Labor MP Lara Giddings and Greens leader Cassy O’Connor.

Ms Giddings said it was ex- tremely disappointing palliative care services were struggling for resources given some of those who spoke against the Bill cited a need for better palliative care services.

Ms O’Connor said palliative care was being neglected.

“It’s awful and ironic that in this Palliative Care Week, when we had to listen to conservative Liberals reject legislation that would have provided compassionate choice to suffering Tasmanians on the basis that palliative care has all the answers ... we find there’s no extra money,” she said.