The PM Glynn Institute has produced a report on palliative care within Australia which aims to investigate and explore patterns in palliative care service provision, identify gaps in palliative care provision, and identify areas for policy action, based on the gaps identified.
The current debate on voluntary assisted dying (VAD) naturally prompts a discussion of the current state of palliative care in Australia, which should be an important aspect of consideration in the debate on VAD.
Just as with healthcare as a whole, ensuring that the social justice principles of access and equity underly the provision of palliative care is essential. This means that palliative care should not only be available to everyone who needs it, but also available to members of society who are more disadvantaged than others.
Making use of data provided by agencies such as Palliative Care Australia, the Department of Health and Ageing, and the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, among others, the report contains a number of findings which highlight the need for policy action in the area of palliative care; action which should be taken prior to serious debate on VAD as it necessarily informs that debate.
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