The Need
WHY CQ NEEDS A HOSPICE
Central Queensland urgently needs a hospice.
Each year, thousands of Central Queensland families are loving and caring for someone with an incurable, life-limiting illness.
Despite most Australians preferring to not die in hospital, well over half of Central Queenslanders with terminal illnesses spend their final days in a hospital bed, and face ambulance ramping and long waits.
Access to comprehensive community-based palliative care is currently limited in Central Queensland. Patients wishing to die at home or in community settings, receive little support to do so and are often admitted numerous times to hospital in their last
year of life.
Of the nine hospices in Queensland, most are in South East Queensland, and none are north of Hervey Bay. Sadly, this means that many families in our community are not able to access this type of care during one of life’s most challenging times.
Our local population is growing, and as people age and health requirements become more complex, the need for a hospice is only going to become greater.
People in their last year of life typically present numerous times to hospital. Access to hospice care can reduce unplanned emergency department presentations and the need for hospital admission, resulting in benefits for patients, families, and our over-stretched health system.
In recent years, the Federal (Productivity Commission: End-of-life care: Inquiry Report) and State (Queensland Parliamentary Report: Aged care, end-of-life and palliative care 2020) Governments have both publicly acknowledged that more needs to be done to improve access to community-based palliative care in regional areas.
Ease pressure on public emergency departments and hospital beds
Respite care and large patient rooms with space for loved ones to stay
Hospice care and support to be provided to approximately 300 people with a terminal illness per year
Personal stories
Discover personal stories about how hospice care makes a real difference in people’s lives.
We’d love to speak with you to explore your story and ideas on ways we can work together to support local families and their loved ones.
