Palliative care think tank: council to examine all models before making decision

After last week’s fiery council debate, where councillors resolved to host a petition calling for the reopening of a medical ward previously used for palliative care at the Orange Health Service, and to write to the service expressing its concerns, health professionals were invited to Monday’s meeting of the Orange health liaison community committee.

Councillor Reg Kidd described the meeting as positive and productive.

Nineteen people attended the meeting, including Orange Health Service doctors Gabriel Shannon and Louis Christie, general manager Catherine Nowlan, Orange Health Council chair Richard Jane, community representatives and several councillors. 

“We had all fields of medicine covered,” Cr Kidd said.

“We discussed all the issues around palliative care, both how it started in the early 80s, right through to modern concepts in planning for palliative care.”

A number of recommendations will be put to the council, including investigating a state-of-the-art hospice facility in the southern tablelands and renal palliative care at St George Hospital. 

Reports on patient preferences between home and hospital care, and respite care, will also be examined

Cr Kidd said those who attended the meeting walked out better informed.

“We’re waiting for that report to see where the gaps are - a lot of good things will come out of it,” Cr Kidd said.

While many of the councillors’ recent experiences with palliative care involved older patients, Cr Kidd said it was important to look at the issue as a whole.

“Everyone dies - infants and young people die,” he said.

Cr Kidd said it was an emotional issue, but the mood had calmed down since last week’s council debate, which also resolved to lobby the health service to establish a trust fund for community donations specifically for palliative care.

danielle.cetinski@fairfaxmedia.com.au