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Thursday, 3 November 2011
Page: 8123

Palliative Care

Your petitioners ask/request that the Senate:

(1) Calls upon the Government to acknowledge that well funded quality palliative care services would reduce calls to legalise assisted suicide;

(2) Calls upon the Government to increase funding and, where necessary, introduce legislation that would:

a. Confirm the right of all Australians to be able to access quality, modern palliative care when and as it's needed;

b. Create the procedures, education and funding to make palliative care a fundamental part of our national Healthcare system and ensure the States, particularly Queensland, address the chronic under funding of palliative care services;

c. Introduce as a matter of urgency end-of-life care as a basic competency for aged care workers (regardless of the setting in which they work) and include this competency in the core curricula of aged care worker education and ongoing training;

d. Endorse the integration of the "National Palliative Care Standards" with the "Aged Care Accreditation Standards"; and

e. Create and fund a campaign to educate the public about the role of palliative care in the healthcare system and its contribution to the quality of life and death.

by Senator Boyce (from 319 citizens).