PACOP for clinicians

PACOP provides a nationally standardised assessment framework and a clinical response protocol to guide the delivery of best-practice palliative care in residential aged care settings.

PACOP, a framework co-designed with participating residential aged care homes, is a solution that meets the aged care sector's clinical care delivery, governance, and quality improvement needs. Aged care providers can participate in PACOP without any prerequisite for assessing readiness or minimum achievement against the star ratings, standards of care, or National Quality Indicator program. The best part? PACOP is freely available to ALL Australian residential aged care homes with no costs for implementation, education or quality improvement resources.

The PACOP Program has two components: the Profile Collection and the Outcomes Program. The Profile Collection provides assessment tools that support early recognition of deterioration, identifying changing care needs, and the need to commence palliative or end-of-life care. The Outcomes Collection provides assessment tools and a clinical protocol to monitor and respond to palliative and end-of-life care needs.

PACOP Framework Benefits

The PACOP framework brings a host of benefits, including;

• Improved care planning ensures consistency and equitable access to palliative and end-of-life care for residents and families.
• Introduction of a common language with multidisciplinary care teams and health care providers through validated clinical assessment tools.
• Assessment information informs plans for continuous improvement and evidence achievements over time.

PACOP Identifying Palliative Care Needs

A flowchart of the PACOP assessment and response framework demonstrates the program's clinical implementation.

Download the PACOP Identifying Palliative Care Needs Flowchart

PACOP Profile Collection

The Profile Collection provides assessments that support the recognition of deterioration, changing care needs, and the need to commence palliative or end-of-life care.

The profile assessment is completed on admission and at a three-month minimum to assess resident care needs routinely and inform routine care planning. It supports anticipatory care planning.

The Deteriorating Resident Tool is completed at any point in time when the resident, family or care teams voice concerns or changes in a resident's baseline. The DRT supports providers to respond to deterioration rapidly and escalate care needs appropriately.

Download the Profile Assessment Suite

PACOP Outcomes Collection

The Outcomes Collection provides assessments and a clinical protocol guiding routine monitoring and delivery of palliative and end-of-life care needs.

Symptom monitoring occurs daily by care staff for residents with identified palliative or end-of-life care needs, followed by a weekly or daily full clinical assessment by the registered nurse as indicated by assessed care needs.

Embedding the clinical protocol provides a language and process for monitoring the outcomes of care delivered and measures the outcomes of palliative and end-of-life care plans.

The Outcomes Collection evidences palliative and end-of-life care delivery and aligns with the incoming Strengthened Standards of Care.

Download the Outcomes Assessment Suite