Illawarra cancer advocates are calling on the state government to fund more specialist palliative care services for the region.
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Cancer Council Southern Region spokeswoman Emma Swords said it was part of the organisation’s statewide push to ensure that everyone with a life-limiting cancer had access to such care.
Ms Swords said the government, in its state action plan for palliative care, had acknowledged that there were gaps in services in regional and rural areas and indigenous communities.
‘’On World Cancer Day (on Thursday) we want to highlight the need to have the correct funding and structure in place to support these people at this sensitive and difficult time,’’ she said.
‘’Palliative care clinicians help make people comfortable towards the end of life and they support families and carers throughout that time, and with counselling afterwards.’’
Ms Swords said despite state government initiatives, the number of palliative physicians and nurses in NSW remained below recommended levels.
She said in NSW a minimum of one full-time palliative physician was recommended for every 100,000 people, but the latest figures showed there was only 0.8 per 100,000 – or 58 physicians.
In the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District there are five full-time palliative physicians.
‘’Along with other cancer advocates in the Illawarra, the Cancer Council is calling on the state government to fund 19 more full-time physicians across NSW as well as more palliative care nurses,’’ Ms Swords said.
‘’There’s also the need for more culturally appropriate palliative services in indigenous communities.’’
Health Minister Jillian Skinner said the NSW Government had made significant funding enhancements to palliative services and the palliative care workforce over the past four years.
This included $35 million over four years from 2012-13 for community-based palliative care initiatives.
Ms Swords said the Cancer Council supported a petition by retired palliative care doctor Yvonne McMaster calling for more funding in this area.
‘’This petition has more than 80,000 signatures – we hope the government will listen to these voices in the community asking for help.’’