End-of-life care

Care at the End of Life Collaborative

The West Moreton Region Care at the End of Life Collaborative was set up in 2018 to improve end-of-life care by addressing gaps in care and access as well as the capability of health workers and professional care givers.

The Collaborative includes Blue Care, CiMaS Home Nursing Service, Darling Downs and West Moreton PHN, Icon Cancer Centre, Ipswich Hospice Care, Mater Private Hospital Springfield, Palliative Care Queensland, Queensland Ambulance Service, St Andrew’s Ipswich Private Hospital and West Moreton Health.

Initiatives of the Collaborative include:

West Moreton Care Connect website

WestMoretonCareConnect.com.au is a website for people with a life-limiting illness, their families and carers, to help plan and prepare for end of life.

The website is the only one of its kind in the West Moreton region and provides a directory of local services, support networks and organisations that can assist people reaching the end of their life, and their carers.

It was created in response to feedback from community members about how end of life care could be improved in West Moreton.

It also provides education resources for health professionals and professional caregivers involved in end-of-life care, including information to understand more about cultural considerations for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples approaching the end of life.

Visit www.westmoretoncareconnect.com.au

Voluntary assisted dying

Voluntary assisted dying gives people who meet eligibility criteria, are suffering and dying, the option to ask for medical assistance to end their life.

For more information visit www.qld.gov.au/health/support/voluntary-assisted-dying.

Education and training for health professionals

West Moreton Care at the End of Life Collaborative Regional Knowledge Framework

The Framework was developed in consultation with West Moreton Health professionals from various settings and disciplines.

The purpose of the Framework is to offer a baseline for knowledge and understanding for health professionals and professional caregivers providing care at the end of life in the West Moreton region.

It provides links through to online education modules and other resources to achieve the knowledge domains identified.

Visit: www.westmoretoncareconnect.com.au/health-professionals

Integrated Palliative Care Toolkit for Paramedics Project

This project aimed to develop a toolkit to increase paramedic preparedness for palliative patients in the community as first responders.

The toolkit can be utilised as an instrument to support Paramedics through a universal, collaborative approach to end of life care.

The four components of the toolkit include: Palliative Care Education, Care at the end of life assessment and action plan for paramedics, out of hours advice for paramedics and digital optimisation.

Visit: www.westmoretoncareconnect.com.au/health-professionals

Other end-of-life education and training resources

Information for GPs, aged care facilities, health professionals and professional caregivers

Visit: www.westmoretoncareconnect.com.au/health-professionals