High quality end-of-life care a right for all
The AMA’s updated position statement on end-of-life care has been published.
The AMA’s updated Position Statement on Issues Arising at the End-of-Life 2023, declares that everyone deserves timely access to patient-centred, affordable, culturally safe and high-quality end-of-life care. This care should serve to alleviate pain and suffering, uphold individuals’ values and preferences for care and allow patients to achieve the best quality of life possible throughout the course of a life-limiting condition.
The statement advocates for sufficient and adequate planning, funding, training, coordination and clinical governance to ensure accessible and quality end-of-life care services can be provided to patients and their families and carers throughout Australia.
In particular, there must be appropriate, ongoing investment in palliative care delivery including in specialised services, general practice and RACFs, workforce development, research and data collection in order to keep up with demand for services, which itself is likely to increase due to Australia’s ageing population.
The statement says there should be accountability and transparency of funded systems including performance in areas like access, care transition and coordination, and patient and family satisfaction. In addition, end-of-life care providers and health services throughout Australia must be supported to work collaboratively, in a coordinated and integrated way to ensure patients, their family members and carers receive comprehensive, multi-disciplinary, team-based care.
The statement addresses issues including palliative care, advance care planning, access to services, groups with diverse needs, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, children, decision-making capacity, health workforce and system development, grief and bereavement and carers and research.