Cancer Council NSW is calling on cancer patients, carers and families in Inverell to share their experiences with advanced or terminal cancer within the last five years.
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The organisation urges locals to call the 13 11 20 information and support service this month to help paint a picture of the difference that palliative care staff make to people’s lives, as well as the impact that gaps in access to palliative care have on the Inverell community. The information received will also inform the Cancer Council’s support services.
Inverell Community Engagement Coordinator Paul Hobson said that NSW falls behind every other state and territory when it comes to the number of palliative care nurses per head of population.
“We want to ensure that everyone in the Inverell community can get the care and support they need, when and where they need it,” he said.
“We know there are not enough palliative care doctors or nurses to meet the needs of the NSW community, and there is a lack of culturally appropriate palliative care for Aboriginal people.”
The palliative care call-in results will add to the Cancer Council’s ‘I Care for Palliative Care’ advocacy campaign, which is currently calling on the NSW Minister for Health to end the shortage.
“It’s saddening to think that many people in NSW, particularly in communities like Armidale, are unable to access specialist palliative care and support because there just aren’t enough staff to support them. We know that the current palliative care doctors and nurses do a wonderful job, and we also know they are stretched to meet demands across the state,” Mr Hobson said.
Specialist palliative care allows people with advanced or terminal cancer to maintain their quality of life in a way that is meaningful to them.
“There are simply too many people across the state missing out on the benefits that palliative care can bring in terms of reducing pain, feelings of isolation and fear, reducing the impact on carers and loved ones and opening up more options as to where to receive care at the advanced stages of their illness,” Mr Hobson said.
“We understand that everyone’s experience is different and that conversations about palliative care are happening too late,” he added.
“The more people who share their advanced or terminal cancer or palliative care story with us, the stronger we will be as a community to improve palliative care in NSW for the future.”
