Palliative Care

What is Palliative Care?

Palliative care includes treatment care and support which aims to increase a person’s quality of life and comfort as they experience life-limiting or advanced disease. This involves attention to the physical, psychological, social and spiritual aspects of a person’s wellbeing.

LGBTIQ+ people and Palliative Care

All LGBTIQ+ people should feel confident that they can access inclusive palliative care that is safe and respectful. The current research indicates that there are many barriers that prevent this.

We are currently engaged in a three-year National Palliative Care Project that will build the capacity of the palliative care sector to provide culturally appropriate services to LGBTIQ+ people through:

Research - needs analysis report to inform content for education
Development of educational e-modules targeted at GPs and Practice Nurses
A dynamic network of Community of Practice groups focused on LGBTIQ+ inclusive palliative care.

Resources:

Q&A: Jen Walsh, Barwon Health, LGBTIQ+ Palliative Care Project Lead

This series of Q&As is a chance to meet the people who are working to create inclusive palliative and end-of-life care experiences for people who are LGBTIQ+ in Australia and around the world. Part one is with Jen Walsh, LGBTIQ+ Palliative Care Project Lead at Barwon Health.

EOI: National Palliative Care Co-Design Team

The Department of Health has funded LHA to deliver a three-year project that aims to build the capacity of the palliative care sector to provide inclusive services to LGBTIQ+ people accessing palliative and end-of-life care. This will be achieved through research, training (e-modules for health professionals) and development of Community of Practice groups.

LGBTIQ+ People still can’t rely on inclusive palliative care services

Despite the many gains that have been made towards LGBTIQ+ equality, health care services are still not always safe spaces for people from LGBTIQ+ communities.