Advocacy

Advocating for better care and support for Western Australians who are dealing with the problems of advanced illness, dying, death and bereavement, is an important function for Palliative Care WA Inc.

Advocacy takes place at several different levels, including:

  1. Australian Government level – in partnership with our national peak body, Palliative Care Australia:  www.palliativecare.org.au
  2. Western Australian Government level – this entails providing information to WA parliamentarians and public services and seeking to influence the policies of all sectors of government so that people living with life limiting illness, their carers, families and communities can access the care, support and services they need
  3. Service provider level – working with service providers in a range of sectors to bring to their attention the needs of people at the end of life and helping them to improve their services.

2011 Activities

Palliative Care WA Inc provided feedback on a draft primary health care strategy for Western Australia developed by the Department of Health.

We also sent the Department of Health detailed commentary on a draft chronic health conditions framework, which you can access here.

The Government of Western Australia is the main funder of specialist palliative care services in this state.  The Palliative Care WA Inc budget submission for the year ending 30 June 2013 outlines three important areas which require ongoing investment in order to ensure Western Australian people can access quality care at the end of life.  The Department of Health has responded to the submission with this letter.

Palliative Care WA Inc made a comprehensive submission to the WA State Budget for the year ending 30 June 2012.  The Minister for Health's response can be read here.

2009 Activities

Submission to the Education and Health Standing Committee of the WA Parliament - 4 August 2009

The Legislative Assembly, the lower house in the Western Australian Parliament, maintains an Education and Health Standing Committee. During 2009 this Committee is conducting an inquiry into Western Australia's current and future hospitals and community health care services. You can read Palliative Care WA Inc's submission to that review here.

Council of Australian Governments National Partnership Agreement on Hospitals and Health Workforce Reform - 30 June 2009

The Council of Australian Governments signed the National Partnership Agreement on Hospitals and Health Workforce Reform in late 2008. Under the National Partnership Agreement all states and territories will recieve additional funds from the Australian Government to help reform the health system. Palliative Care WA Inc wrote to the West Australian Department of Health about implementation of the Agreement in this state, and you can read the letter here.

Cessation of WA Funeral Assistance Program - 30 June 2009

In May 2009 the Government of Western Australia announced they would no longer fund the Funeral Assistance Program. Palliative Care WA Inc has monitored the effects of this decision.
Read our response to the announcement.

The Minister for Child Protection, Community Services, Seniors and Volunteering and Women's Interests wrote back to Palliative Care WA Inc in early July 2009. Read the response here.

Draft Advance Health Directive and Enduring Power of Guardianship Paperwork - 24th July 2009

Legislation permitting living wills was passed by the Western Australian Parliament in June 2008. The new laws will take effect in late 2009. Palliative Care WA Inc has provided feedback to the Government of Western Australia on the format of the paperwork associated with the legislation. Read the feedback letter here.

2008 Activites

Western Australia State Election 2008

Palliative Care WA Inc wrote to all major parties contesting the WA State Election in 2008.  Included here is an example of the cover letter, the detailed submission, and a summary of the responses we received from the parties:

  1. PCWA and the WA State Election
  2. ALP re Election 2008
  3. WA Election 2008 Summary of Party Info

The WA Minister for Health announced an election commitment funding package on 26 May 2009, and Palliative Care WA Inc's response to the election commitment.

Consent to Medical Treatment Legislation

Palliative Care WA Inc has campaigned for many years for Western Australia to adopt legislation which would:

  1. regularise ‘advance directives’, in which a person can specify the medical care they would like when they are dying and unable to make or communicate their own decisions
  2. permit a person to nominate somebody who can make treatment decisions on their behalf
  3. protect doctors who make a reasonable decision to withdraw futile medical treatments.

Palliative Care WA Inc therefore welcomed news in June 2008 that the WA Parliament had finally passed the Acts Amendment (Consent to Medical Treatment) Act 2008.  This legislation, as the name implies, amends other pieces of existing state legislation.  You can view the Act at the West Australian Government website.

The Act will be proclaimed (ie come into full effect) in mid 2009 after the Government has finalised all the regulations, paperwork, community and health care provider education programs etc.

Transport and Storage of the Bodies of Deceased Indigent Patients

Palliative Care WA Inc has sought WA Government support to meet the costs of transporting and storing the bodies of impoverished people who die in the care of a palliative care service.

PCN re Indigent Transport & Storage

Submission to the Draft Public Health Bill 2008 Consultation Process

Living with a terminal or life limiting illness, dying, death and bereavement are all public health issues.  Simply, people spend more time in the community with their families, friends, neighbours, colleagues etc than they do in the care of organised health services.

Palliative Care WA Inc’s submission the Draft Public Health Bill 2008 Consultation Process argued that the Government had an opportunity to create legislation which required, for example, developers, to take into account the needs and preferences of dying people, their carers, families and communities, when proposing new developments.

Palliative Care Network’s Models of Care

The Palliative Care Network was established by the WA Department of Health.  Palliative Care WA Inc works closely with the Network to help develop safe, sustainable, accessible and high quality palliative care services, and to influence other Health Networks to consider end of life and palliative care issues as they plan services for different groups in our community.

In 2008 the Palliative Care Network created two significant Models of Care, which can be viewed on the Network website here.  Read Palliative Care WA Inc’s response to the Models:

  1. PCWA Response to Rural Model of Care Draft
  2. PCWA Response to Metro MOC Draft
  3. The Organisation, Provision and Future Funding of Palliative Care in Western Australia (2003)

 

 

Last page Update:January 24, 2012