The BNPCC Hub

[AIHW media release- 14 May]

More Australians are receiving palliative care, with service use and expenditure continuing to rise across the health system, according to new Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) data released today.

The report, Palliative care services in Australia, shows that palliative care continues to play a critical role in supporting people with life‑limiting illness, particularly older Australians, with activity increasing in hospitals, outpatient settings and Medicare‑subsidised services.

‘Palliative care supports people and their families at some of the most vulnerable moments in their lives,’ AIHW spokesperson Dinesh Indraharan said.

In 2024–25, around 15,900 people received Medicare‑subsidised palliative medicine attendance* and case conference services*, with more than 78,000 services delivered nationally. Almost 4 in 5 people receiving services were aged 65 and over.

Hospital‑based palliative care activity has also grown steadily over time, with palliative care‑related hospitalisations increasing by 46% between 2015–16 and 2023–24, reflecting the expanding role of palliative care within Australia’s health system as the population ages.

In 2024–25, 1.6 million palliative care‑related prescriptions were dispensed to around 488,000 people, with pain relief medicines accounting for 80% of these prescriptions.

‘Pain management is central to quality palliative care,’ Mr Indraharan said.

‘While the number of people receiving palliative care-related medications has remained relatively stable over time with only a modest decrease in the past year, the number of prescriptions per person has increased, suggesting a rising complexity of care needs.’

Most Medicare‑subsidised specialist palliative care services were delivered in consulting rooms or hospitals, while around 12% were provided through case conferences. Data limitations mean these figures do not capture non‑specialist palliative care or community‑based services delivered outside specialist Medicare items.

Spending on palliative care has also increased across multiple parts of the health system.

In 2023–24, public hospitals that reported data spent $666.7 million on admitted patient palliative care, accounting for 16% of all subacute care costs. In the same year, $218.9 million was spent on non‑admitted palliative care, with expenditure in this area almost doubling since 2019–20, reflecting increased use of outpatient care.

Australian Government expenditure in 2024–25 has also risen, including:

• $6.8 million on Medicare‑subsidised palliative medicine attendances and case conferences
• $40.4 million on palliative care‑related medicines through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, with most spending related to pain relief therapies.

How Australia is tracking against national palliative care objectives

Alongside the services report, the AIHW has also released updates to the National palliative care measures report, examining progress against key objectives of the National Palliative Care Strategy.

The report shows that most national palliative care measures have either improved or remained stable since 2018, indicating steady progress under the strategy. Measurable improvements were observed in areas such as timely care and workforce capacity.

However, the report also highlights ongoing gaps.

‘A full national picture of palliative care quality and equity is still emerging, with limited or no national data currently available for measures such as cultural safety, advance care planning, preferred place of death and the proportion of people who receive palliative care when needed,’ Mr Indraharan said.

‘These new reports coincide with National Palliative Care Week, a reminder that quality palliative care plays a vital role in supporting people, and that understanding service activity and outcomes is part of ensuring care is available when and where it’s needed,’ Mr Indraharan said.

*Medicare‑subsidised palliative medicine attendance and case conference services refer to consultations and formal multidisciplinary case conferences provided by palliative medicine specialists and claimed under specific Medicare Benefits Schedule items. They represent only part of the palliative care delivered across the health system.

Read More

• National palliative care measures
• Palliative care services in Australia

[From CPCRE]

CPCRE invites clinicians from all disciplines to attend this FREE online event.

The 2026 CPCRE Bereavement Symposium will include four presentations from experts working with specialist populations including children and adolescents, older adults, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and regional and remote communities.

Monday 17 August 2026

12.00-16.00

Microsoft Teams

Register

For more information, contact CPCRE (cpcre@health.qld.gov.au).

[from Caring@Home]

In 2024, caring@home convened a national Working Party of clinicians (including palliative medicine specialists, rural generalists, general practitioners, pharmacists and nurses) to develop version 1 of the National Core Community Palliative Care Medicines List.

The Working Party reconvened in 2026 to undertake a review and based on feedback the following changes were included:

• Clinicians requested that two formulation options for Clonazepam be included (Clonazepam 2.5mg/mL drops AND/OR 1 mg/mL injection)
• Minor wording edits to the supporting factsheet.

The next review is due in March 2028.

The Jeder Institute are touring in October:

Asset Based Community Development Workshops

The Brisbane workshop will happen from 9.30 on Tuesday 13 Oct to 4.30pm on Wednesday 14 October.

For consideration if you are interested in compassionate communities

https://events.humanitix.com/2026-abcd-national-tour-brisbane

[From Karuna]

As part of Palliative Care Week, Karuna Hospice Services is hosting a 45‑minute online panel conversation, What People Wish They Had Known Earlier, and we would greatly appreciate your support in sharing this session with the people you care for and support, as well as colleagues and other professionals.

Starting a palliative care journey, whether as a patient, family member, or carer, can feel overwhelming. This session brings together two experienced Karuna practitioners to share practical insight, reassurance, and real‑world perspectives on what people often wish they had understood earlier about palliative care.

What to expect
Liz Fletcher (Carer Wellbeing Partner) and Linda Starke (Social Worker) will explore:

• What palliative care really is—and what it isn’t
• Common emotional, practical, and family challenges early on
• Available supports for patients, families, and carers
• How carers can protect their own wellbeing
• Conversations people often wish they’d had sooner

Who this session is for
• Referral providers/service providers (GPs, social workers, palliative care units, nurses,
• People living with a life‑limiting illness
• Family members and loved ones
• Informal and formal carers
• Anyone seeking greater clarity and reassurance about palliative care

Event details
Date: Thursday 14 May 2026
Time: 12.30–1.30pm (AEST)
Format: Online (free)

👉 Register here: https://bit.ly/WPWTHKMay26

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us via karuna@karuna.org.au or call (07) 3632 8300.

[From PCQ]

Join us on Wednesday 20 May 2026, for our education webinar titled “Grief Doesn't Come With Instructions: Two Widows on What Actually Helps”.

Join us in in this PCQ Webinar to engage with our guest speakers Ashleigh Conwell and Rebecca Adams in an honest and deeply human conversation, where these two widows share what actually helped them navigate life after loss. Drawing from their personal journeys and the work they now lead supporting others, they offer practical insights, gentle guidance, and reassurance for anyone experiencing grief or supporting someone who is grieving.

This session goes beyond theory, exploring what helps in the real moments: the early days, the ongoing adjustments, and the path toward rebuilding life with meaning and hope.

Whether you are grieving, supporting someone who is, or wanting to better understand loss, this webinar offers a safe, compassionate space to listen, learn, and feel less alone

We believe that palliative care is everybody’s business, and we aim to build compassionate communities around people and their families experiencing serious illness, dying, death and grief. This webinar is designed for all members of the community including both health and non-health related workers (i.e., healthcare workers, doctors, nurses, social workers, allied health staff, health administrative staff, spiritual care workers, health managers, health educators, pharmacists and paramedics). We also encourage people from diverse backgrounds to attend.

DATE: WEDNESDAY 20 MAY 2026

TIME: TIME – 12:00 PM – 01:00 PM (AEST)

REGISTER: https://events.humanitix.com/pcqwebinarmay2026

FREE for PCQ members, PCQ Volunteers, QAS Paramedics

$10 General Admission

$8 Concession Card Holders

These webinars are sponsored by Queensland Health, and supported by Queensland Ambulance Services

Any questions please email us to hello@palliativecareqld.org.au or call us on 07 3842 3242.

[From CPCRE]

The CPCRE Lunch & Learn Education for May 2026:

"Advance Care Planning"

Friday 22 May 2026
12.00 - 13:00 hours (Queensland time)

To be presented by Dr Greg Parker, Director, Advance Care Planning Australia, Metro South Health Advance Care Planning Program; Co-Director, PallConsult, Statewide Office of Advance Care Planning.


Who should register?

• Health professionals of all disciplines who have an interest in palliative or end of life care.
• Clinicians of all disciplines working in any health setting are encouraged to register and attend.
• Health students of any discipline are welcome to register.

free online education session

Register

[From Silverchain]

New research from Silverchain has found that people with complex health conditions are fulfilling their preference to die at home rather than in a hospital provided they have access to specialist community palliative care.

The study, published in the international journal BMJ Public Health, analysed outcomes of more than 4,100 people over six years. It found that those with non-cancer illnesses – such as heart or lung disease – often have more complicated medical needs yet are the most likely to achieve their wish of dying in their own home.

The findings come as palliative care-related hospitalisations in Australia have risen by 29% in recent years (2015 to 2022) – a rate three times higher than all other hospital admissions.

With demand for palliative care service expected to double by 2050, the research highlights a critical solution to easing the mounting pressure on overstretched emergency departments and hospital wards.

The research challenges long held beliefs that specialist palliative care is best suited for those with a predictable decline. Instead, the research shows that people without cancer often enter palliative care with a high degree of health issues, more medications, and greater frailty, yet are still able to die in their preferred place supported by a community specialist palliative care team.

Silverchain’s National Director of Research & Evidence, and lead author of the study, Adj Prof Karen Smith OAM, said the study proves that a complex health diagnosis should not be a barrier to choosing to die at home.

“While 70 per cent of Australians say they would prefer to spend their final days at home, there is a lingering fear that complex medical needs make this impossible. This research turns that perception on its head,” Adj Prof Smith said. “Traditional palliative care triage tools have been designed primarily for cancer patients. However, the increased complexity of non-cancer patients suggests more work is required to recognise palliative care needs in this cohort earlier and ensure equal access to specialist community palliative care.

“We are proving that medical complexity does not require a hospital bed. By bringing specialist expertise in the home, we aren’t just managing symptoms, we are safeguarding a person’s fundamental right to choose how and where they spend their final moments.

“It’s time our health system prioritised this choice for all Australians, regardless of their diagnosis,” Adj Prof Smith said. The research findings contribute to growing evidence and calls for a national approach to specialist community palliative care as the number of Australians aged 85 and over potentially requiring palliative care is projected to double by 2042.

[ From Preparing the Way]

Most of us carry a picture of dying shaped by hospital dramas, hushed family stories, and a culture that tends to look away. That picture is usually wrong and the gap between what we imagine and what dying typically is can cause enormous, unnecessary fear.

This June, we're sitting down with Dr Kathryn Mannix for a live, honest, and genuinely useful conversation about what dying actually looks like and what it means to accompany someone through it.

What we'll explore together

• What ordinary dying actually looks like, and why so many of us misunderstand it
• Why we avoid conversations about death, and what it takes to begin them
• What end of life doulas offer alongside families and conventional care
• What compassionate, collaborative end of life care could look like in the years ahead

Who is this for?

This event is open to anyone who wants to understand dying better — end of life doulas, palliative and aged care professionals, nurses, social workers, chaplains, grief practitioners, and members of the public. You don't need medical knowledge or doula training, just an open mind. Even simple curiosity is enough.

When you register, you'll be invited to submit a question for Dr Kathryn Mannix. A selection of audience questions will be asked live during the conversation.

Date: Monday 8 June
Time: 9.30-11am
Format: Livestream
Cost: $88 full price, $44 Consession

Register: https://events.humanitix.com/dr-kathryn-mannix-and-helen-callanan

[From PCA]

Palliative Care Australia (PCA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr Chris Hatherly as the organisation’s new Chief Executive Officer. 

Dr Hatherly is a highly respected not‑for‑profit leader with 20 years’ experience across research, policy, health and ageing; most recently as CEO of The Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia. 

He brings deep expertise in national advocacy, evidence‑informed policy development, and coalition‑building across government, academia, industry and consumer groups. His early career included roles with Alzheimer’s Australia (now Dementia Australia), where he oversaw research, policy and consumer‑engagement initiatives. 

Dr Hatherly said he was honoured to take up the role and deeply motivated by PCA’s mission. 

“High-quality, compassionate and accessible palliative care benefits everyone in our society,” he said. “I’m energised by the opportunity to work with PCA’s Board, staff, members and partners, and to meet and hear from palliative care consumers and carers. I look forward to championing PCA’s vision and contributing to better outcomes for people living with life‑limiting illness, their families and communities.”  

His appointment comes at a critical time for palliative care in Australia, with growing demand and significant reform across the health and aged care sectors. Dr Hatherly’s expertise will support PCA’s ongoing advocacy and strengthen its national leadership in improving access to high-quality palliative care. 

PCA Chair, Dr Peter Allcroft, welcomed the appointment, saying, “I am delighted with the appointment of Chris and expect him to provide a steady and innovative influence on the organisation and the broader sector. His experience working at the interface of research, policy, service delivery and the community will be an invaluable asset to PCA’s critical mission.” 

 Dr Hatherly will commence with PCA on 8 July 2026. Simon Waring will continue as Interim CEO during this transition.