Rural Palliative Care Program
The Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing (the Department) has engaged the Australian General Practice Network (AGPN) to manage the Rural Palliative Care (RPC) Project 2008-2010. The RPC Project is one of a number of initiatives designed to a
chieve the goals of the National Palliative Care Strategy.
The 2008-2010 Rural Palliative Care Project aims to further build upon the successes of the pilot project implemented by the Murrumbidgee Division of General Practice, from which the Griffith Area Palliative Care Services model was established. Subsequently, a further pilot project, managed by AGPN was funded to assess the transferability of the model into a range of rural settings. The 2003- 2006 pilot Rural Palliative Care Program supported eight rural Divisions of General Practice to further develop and implement collaborative models that, over the three year period, significantly improved the rural communities’ access to quality, coordinated palliative care.
The announcement of the 2008-2010 Rural Palliative Care Project aims to build upon the successes of both projects and to deliver enhanced access to palliative care services across a broader expanse of rural Australia.
AGPN has also managed the development of the "Resources for a Rural Palliative Care Program". The project developed a web-based Rural Palliative Care Resource Kit. The resource kit has consolidated the resources developed in the RPC pilot program 2003 – 2006 and will assist divisions in implementing any new RPC program.
AGPN acknowledges the financial support of the Australian Government Department of Health & Ageing
