Occupational therapists provide boost for Palliative Care
Occupational Therapy Week runs from 21-27 October
Occupational therapists Genevieve (TPCH), Liz (Caboolture) and Emma (RBWH) are three new additions to Metro North’s Palliative Care workforce, as part of an effort to bolster end-of-life care.
In 2022, The Queensland Health Palliative Care and End of Life Strategy identified that many Hospital and Health Services, including Metro North, required significant investment to strengthen their services, most notably by growing the frontline specialist palliative care workforce, investing in community-based services, enhancing digital and telehealth services, delivering 24/7 secondary consultation for palliative care practitioners and providing education and advocacy about dying, death and advance care planning.
To support implementation of the Strategy, Metro North has been allocated $3.5 million in new palliative care funding, which commenced July 2024. In 2025, new investment will increase to approximately $7.1 million and then continue recurrently.
Aside from the addition of Full Time Equivalent occupational therapists and social workers, work is already underway or completed in:
- Issues and Opportunities Presentation
- Palliative Care Service Planning Workshop summary
- Palliative Care Service Planning Workshop presentation
- Burden of Disease background document (draft)
- Consumer workshop summary.
This work is being guided by wide consultation across Metro North Health, consumers, and broader stakeholders is occurring with through a steering group, consumer workshops, stakeholder workshops, project team and working groups.
“Providing an integrated service across Metro North should improve patient access and experience at this end-of-life care,” said RBWH Director of Occupational Therapy Sue Laracy.
Occupational Therapy Week runs from 21-27 October and celebrates the achievements of occupational therapists and promotes the many ways OT helps people to reach their potential.