Enhancing palliative care and empowering nurse practitioners

Barbara Braithwaite • June 2, 2023

As Palliative Week comes to close, the Nurse Practitioner Workforce Plan receives positive news from the Australian Government regarding the palliative care sector.


Palliative Care Australia (PCA) welcomes this development, emphasising the need to empower nurse practitioners (NPs) and integrate comprehensive palliative care training into their scope of practice.


“Supporting NPs to work to their full scope of practice, and properly funding their work under the Medicare Benefits Schedule is a positive step,” Rowland said.


Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care, Ged Kearney, aligns with the vision of NPs to provide clinical care for acute and chronic conditions across a lifespan. The next crucial step is to ensure that nurse practitioners and other primary healthcare providers receive specialised training in palliative care.


“Nurse practitioners and primary health are key to increasing access to palliative care, that’s something we are highlighting during National Palliative Care Week and are delighted that Minister Kearney will launch the week for us tonight (22 May) at Parliament House.


“The Australian Government funds a range of well-regarded palliative care training programs, and we have been talking with the Minister about how these opportunities can reach primary health and aged care professionals – this is so important to meeting the need we see now and in the future,” Rowland added. 


During National Palliative Care Week, Palliative Care Australia highlights the role of nurse practitioners and primary healthcare providers in improving access to palliative care. They emphasise the importance of reaching out to primary health and aged care professionals and engaging them in well-regarded palliative care training programs already funded by the Australian Government.


Source: An article by Ritchelle Drilon, Content Producer for Healthcare Channel https://healthcarechannel.co/enhancing-palliative-care-and-empowering-nurse-practitioners/


Thank you.

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