The National Palliative Care Coordination (NPCC) project is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care. The project aims to strengthen primary health care by improving the access, delivery, quality, and coordination of general practice and palliative care services and by doing so, support workforce capability and ultimately improve health outcomes for patients, reducing potentially avoidable hospital presentations and admissions.
The NPCC project will help improve access to timely specialist palliative care by standardising needs assessment and referral to specialist palliative care across Australia and will have a particular focus on underserved populations and improving access for those with a non-cancer diagnosis.
This will be achieved by improving the identification of palliative care need and referral practices across general practice settings by piloting and producing a sustainable needs assessment, education, and general practice procedure, referring to specialist services where required based on need.
It is anticipated the outcomes of the NPCC project will:
- Facilitate practice change and generate new knowledge in general practice through a series of educational training sessions and continuous support;
- Enhance the ability of GPs and Practice Nurses to recognise palliative care needs;
- Distinguish between primary and specialist palliative care needs;
- Develop and disseminate a clear and simple palliative care needs assessment, management and referral protocol.
Additionally, the experience of participating GPs and specialist palliative care teams will be evaluated.
To enquire about the NPCC project, please email NPCC@uow.edu.au or contact Project Manager, Stacey Heer on sheer@uow.edu.au.