Convenor of the public meeting, retired palliative care specialist Dr Yvonne McMaster, told the Central Western Daily she was overwhelmed at the response.

“Its clear the people of Orange are absolutely passionate about driving this forward,” she said.

“Orange deserves more than a 9am to 5pm palliative care service.”

Dr McMaster paid tribute to Orange’s palliative care doctor Louis Christie (one of only 33 in the state), who was on the panel along with Orange general practitioner Dr Ken Hazelton, former superintendent of Orange Base Hospital Dr Jann Hunt and social worker Jenny Hazelton.

“We need to treasure Louie and the palliative care nurses we have, but the reality is there isn’t enough resources or staffing - he’s one doctor for a 24/7 set up and people are burn out,” she said.

Dr Hazelton told the meeting he had seen all sides when it comes to the end of life for palliative care patients.

“Some have a contented and peaceful end while others are agitated, distressed and angry,” he said.

“Those bad memories forever taint the end-of-life experience for many people.

“We need choices and the appropriate resources to do it well when caring for people at the end of their life.”

Dr Hazelton said he was fortunate he could admit palliative care patients to a private hospital, but for many general practitioners there was no option of being able to care for their patients in a public system.

Dr Christie gave an overview of how the system for treating palliative patients worked at Orange hospital, saying private rooms at the end of the medical ward and others on the end of the nearby surgical ward were utilised where possible.

He told the meeting no designated palliative care section was in the planning for the hospital. The medical ward, which housed palliative care patients and  closed more than 12 months ago, was not originally designed for palliative care use.

“What we need is some form of sanctuary for palliative patients but we need to locate that in the right place,” Dr Christie said.

He believes the hospital site is not the appropriate place as it is a major regional trauma hospital that will expand in the future.

Dr Christie said any solution would have “pros and cons”.

General practitioner Dr Judith Ross told the meeting any hospice set up in the city should have the capacity to allow general practitioners on site to have input into the care of their patients.

Dr McMaster and several other speakers touched on the issue of long-term accommodation for palliative care patients, saying private health insurance often did not cover people who are being palliatively treated for extended stays in hospital.