Supportive and palliative care focuses on improving quality of life for patients with a serious illness by managing pain and other symptoms, addressing physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs, and providing support for families. This care can be provided at any stage of an illness, alongside other treatments meant to prolong life, and aims to help patients live as well as possible for as long as possible.
Eastern Health covers the largest geographical health region across Melbourne and has multiple healthcare sites. We aim to deliver a comprehensive and coordinated palliative care service. Our specialised palliative care service and unit have highly trained and dedicated staff. We provide person and family-centred care for people with active, progressive, advanced disease.
Palliative care is for people of any age who have a serious or life-limiting illness. It assists people with illnesses such as cancer, progressive neurological diseases and end-stage kidney, heart or lung disease. It helps manage symptoms and improve quality of life.
There are four main locations:
- A community palliative care team can support you in your home or in a residential care facility
- You could see our team as an outpatient, for example by visiting an outpatient clinic in a hospital. You can also see our outpatient team via telehealth or phone
- A consultation team can see you while you are an inpatient in a hospital. They can see you when another team like the acute medical team or oncology team is looking after you
- Our team can look after you as the main treating team in the inpatient palliative care unit (sometimes also called a hospice) located in Wantirna. While sometimes a slower pace, the inpatient palliative care unit is still a hospital and not long-term care. If a person’s condition stabilises and specialist palliative care is no longer required, discharge to either home or a supported accommodation such as a residential aged care facility will be facilitated. Our team can help you in this transition.
In hospital, please ask your treating doctor or nurse for a referral to the palliative care team.
At home, you can ask your GP for a referral to your local community palliative care team.
If you need advice and you are in Victoria, please call PCAS on 1800 360 000.
Eastern Palliative Care is a separate organisation to Eastern Health. While distinct from Eastern Health’s Supportive and Palliative Care service, there is a close working relationship between our services to care for patients who are known to both services.
For more information and how to refer: https://www.epcvic.org.au/online-referrals
Carers are integral to palliative care, often acting as the primary support, enabling loved ones to remain at home while managing daily tasks like medication, personal hygiene, and emotional comfort. As key members of the care team, they act as the link between patients and professionals, ensuring care aligns with wishes, while also managing their own physical and emotional health
For more information and resources: www.carerhelp.com.au/
The Victorian Palliative Care Advice Service offers free, confidential advice for all Victorians seeking information about life-limiting illness, palliative care or end-of-life care. The service is for non-emergency health advice only.
Call 1800 360 000 from 7am to 10pm, every day of the year.