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a) After Hours Home Palliative Medicines Program
When a patient with a life limiting illness identifies their preferred place of death to be home, it requires in home support for both the patient and their caregivers. This includes ensuring that the caregiver has the capacity to confidently administer medication for symptom management as the patient approaches end of life.
CHN has identified that community pharmacists play an ongoing role in dispensing and delivering medication as well as providing advice and education to patients and their caregivers on the quality use of medications. As a result, CHN has commissioned Capital Chemist Wanniassa and Capital Chemist Charnwood to deliver the ‘After Hours Home Palliative Medicines Program’ for the last four years. The program allows for timely provision of palliative medicines to a patient’s home (including Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACF)) and education to the caregivers. This increases the chance of a patient staying at home for end-of-life care. The program includes palliative care education for the community pharmacist, so that they have the confidence and skills to support dying patients and their caregivers.
Over the last year, over 2,600 deliveries occurred to palliative patients in over 55 suburbs in the ACT. This was an increase of 1,000 deliveries compared to the year before. Home deliveries include the provision of medicines and dosing equipment required by the patient. It also creates the opportunity for the community pharmacist to provide education to the caregivers so they can administer medication with confidence. The program receives referrals from carers, GPs, RACF, Canberra Health Service and Calvary teams.
Testimonials
“I could always rely on it. I knew if I rang, and I said I needed ten ampoules of methadone, it is there. So, the reliability, the kindness, and the generosity of the staff, the pharmacists were outstanding, and the communication skills, the efficiency of getting the access, that timely access.” Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner
b) Greater Choices for at Home Palliative Care Measure
Being cared for and dying at home is most people’s preference. The Greater Choice for At Home Palliative Care (GCfAHPC) measure aims to help make that possible. The GCfAHPC measure provides funding for coordinating palliative care through PHNs. Goals include to:
improve your access to the best palliative care at home
support palliative care services in primary health and community care
make sure you get the right care, at the right time and in the right place to reduce unnecessary hospital visits
generate and use data to improve services
use technology to provide flexible and responsive care, including after-hours care.
In April 2022, the Palliative Care Planning Manager commenced at CHN and has begun extensive stakeholder consultation to understand the current palliative care landscape across the ACT.
