Living well is getting the most comfort and quality from each day, while staying connected to the people and routines that matter. Palliative care supports people to keep living as well as they can, for as long as they can.
As Palliative Care Week begins, Northern Queensland Primary Health Network (NQPHN) is pleased to share its Palliative Care Health Needs Assessment.
Australia’s population is ageing (including rapid growth in the number of people aged 85 and over), and with dementia now the leading cause of death nationally, access to palliative care is more crucial than ever.
While there is a growing need for the ageing population, palliative care is for anyone of any age with a life-limiting illness – including children and young people.
The NQPHN Palliative Care Health Needs Assessment outlines current and emerging needs across our region.
Developed as part of the Australian Government’s Greater Choices for At Home Palliative Care program, the report brings together data analysis and stakeholder insights to inform planning through to 30 June 2029.
Key findings
- 2,850 palliative care-related hospitalisations in 2023-24 (~12.6 per cent of Queensland), rising since 2020-21.
- 14,293 non-admitted primary palliative care service events for people aged 55+ in 2023-24.
- 38 per cent (n=1,092) of palliative care-related hospitalisations in 2023-24 included cancer as the principal diagnosis.
- Workforce shortages are the primary constraint, limiting home visiting, after-hours coverage and respite – most acute in rural and remote areas.
- Pathways and coordination remain variable, highlighting the need for stronger integration across primary care, hospitals, aged care, and community providers.
Priority areas
- Workforce capacity and development.
- Access in regional, remote, and very remote areas.
- Enhancing palliative care in residential and facility-based settings (including residential respite services).
- Community education and awareness.
- Ongoing development and promotion of inclusive palliative care for diverse communities in the NQPHN region.
- Service mapping across the NQPHN.
What is palliative care?
Palliative Care Australia states that palliative care is high-quality health care and support for people living with a life-limiting illness and their families.
It is holistic and helps people to live as well as they can for as long as they can by managing pain and symptoms to maintain their quality of life as much as possible as the illness progresses.
Palliative care identifies and treats symptoms and issues associated with life-limiting illness, which may be physical, emotional, spiritual, or social.
It is a family‑centred model of care, meaning that family members, loved ones, and carers can also receive practical and emotional support.
Palliative care is about maintaining quality of life. The aim of palliative care is neither to hasten nor postpone death. Rather, the focus is on living as well as possible, for as long as possible.
Read the insights and priotority areas outlined in NQPHN’s Palliative Care Health Needs Assessment