Rural Palliative Care Project

The Rural Palliative Care Project (RPC Project) came to an end on 30 June 2011.

It was funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing through the Australian General Practice Network (AGPN) to provide support to rural or remote general practice networks (GPNs) nationwide.

Since its inception in 2008, the RPC Project increased the capacity of primary health care providers to provide quality palliative care to rural and remote Australia.

The project addressed the barriers of remoteness and isolation and sought to build multi-disciplinary teams through integrated systems of communication and education and support for evidenced based best practice palliative care services. It also enhanced the experience of care for the palliative patient and their carer/s by strengthening the links between specialist palliative care services and mainstream health service delivery.

The objectives for the project were to enhance common understandings of models of palliative care among the participating GPNs and key stakeholders, including specialist palliative care services and to strengthen links between palliative care and mainstream service delivery.

AGPN endorsed the broad aim of the project which increased the capacity of primary health care providers, in partnership with other services, and provided quality palliative care to rural and remote Australia. In doing so the project:

  • overcame the barriers of remoteness and isolation, and the silo-effect between multi-disciplinary service providers by developing and implementing an integrated system of communication and education which enhanced the skill base required in rural and remote areas;
  •  engaged service providers in a shared effort to address the need for culturally appropriate palliative care in rural and remote Indigenous communities;
  • supported evidence based best palliative care services, and continued to evaluate and progress the coordinated palliative care provided to rural and remote communities throughout the project;
  • enhanced the agency of the palliative patient and their carer/s;
  • strengthened the links between specialist palliative care services and mainstream health service delivery.

The major and notable achievements throughout the 40 Divisions were:

  • information sharing;
  • integration
  • sustainability in the project;
  • communication; and
  • promotion of palliative care.

The challenge is to ensure as many elements as possible are sustainable post program. 

Zone Coordinators provided regular professional support and mentoring to the participating divisions by:

  • continued support, advice and mentoring to participating network members;
  • developing solid relationships and open communication with project officers;
  • conducting regular state teleconferences;
  • facilitating linkages between project officers and appropriate palliative care initiatives such as PEPA facilitators;
  • facilitating linkages with the State palliative care providers;
  • supporting AGPN through participation in nationally coordinated activities;
  • developing and/or contributing to the development of support materials for all general practice networks; and
  • ensuring learning’s from this project and the previous RPC projects are distributed for all project officers.

Congratulations to the 40 Network Member Organisations involved in the program:

New South Wales

  • Barwon Division of General Practice
  • Riverina Division of General Practice
  • Tweed Valley Division of General Practice
  • Dubbo Plains Division of General Practice
  • Hastings Macleay General Practice Network
  • Northern Rivers General Practice Network
  • NSW Central West Division of General Practice
  • Shoalhaven Division of General Practice
  • Southern Highlands Division of General Practice

Northern Territory

  • General Practice Network NT

Queensland

  • Capricornia Division of General Practice
  • Central QLD Rural Division of General Practice
  • Mackay Division of General Practice
  • Sunshine Coast Division of General Practice

South Australia

  • General Practice Network South (SA)
  • Eyre Peninsula Division of General Practice
  • Limestone Coast Division of General Practice
  • Adelaide Northern Division of General Practice
  • Riverland and Murray Mallee Division of General Practice
  • Yorke Peninsula Division of General Practice

Victoria

  • Central Highlands General Practice Network
  • Central Victorian General Practice Network
  • Eastern Ranges GP Association
  • General Practice Alliance - South Gippsland
  • General Practice Association of Geelong
  • Albury Wodonga GP Network
  • Ballarat and District Division of General Practice
  • Central West Gippsland Divisions of General Practice
  • Goulburn Valley Division of General Practice
  • Mallee Health Care Network
  • Otway Division of General Practice

Western Australia

  • Great Southern GP Network
  • Kimberley Division of General Practice
  • Wheatbelt General Practice Network

Tasmania

  • General Practice South
For more information about the Rural Palliative Care Program, please contact AGPN  at agpnreception@agpn.com.au

or 02 6228 0800.