As planning got underway in earnest last year for the Oceanic Palliative Care Conference (21OPCC), to be held from 7-10 September 2021, one thing was clear – the official conference of Palliative Care Australia (PCA) would be impacted and informed by COVID-19; the impact extending far beyond the type of conference held, and more importantly how the impact would shape the Conference themes, streams, and aspirations.
PCA Chief Executive, Camilla Rowland says the impact of COVID-19 for many Australians was and continues to be severe.
“Palliative care professionals have been under considerable pressure. And while there were realistic hopes twelve months ago that the nation might find itself better placed once the Conference rolled around, there was no guarantee.
“So PCA decided very early on that the Conference would be virtual – a decision made to provide certainty to the palliative care sector, and most importantly, to prioritise the health, safety and welfare of the people who work in the sector and the people they care for,” Ms Rowland said.
The Conference is the pre-eminent event for all those passionate about palliative and end-of-life care, in Australia, New Zealand, and throughout the wider Oceanic region.
PCA has hosted the Conference every two years since the inaugural Australian National Hospice Palliative Care Conference in Adelaide, in September 1990.
The Conference has always been a flagship event in the palliative care sector’s calendar in Australia, and never more so than in 2021 as PCA celebrates its 30th year of influence; fostering and promoting the delivery of quality palliative care for all who need it, when and where they need it.
This year’s Conference theme, Invest Challenge Change, builds on the continuing global push to ensure that we build better, more resilient health systems better able to meet critical health care needs in normal circumstances and sufficiently resourced to meet needs during times of emergency and crisis.
The rich conference program covers ten conference themes: population groups, ethics and law and its interface with clinical practice, caring for older persons, an interdisciplinary approach to care, grief and bereavement, investing in strong systems and structures in palliative care, clinical care and practice, holistic care, paediatric palliative care and the impact of Voluntary Assisted Dying in Palliative Care.
The comprehensive program recognises the breadth of palliative care and some of the significant issues to be tackled both in Australia and the region, such as the need for greater investment in palliative care, COVID-19’s impact on grief and bereavement, and dealing with a rapidly ageing population and its impact on palliative care.
Ms Rowland says that “while holding a large-scale virtual event of this size presents logistical challenges, it has also afforded PCA with a unique opportunity to present new research and case studies about quality palliative and end-of-life care to a much broader Australian and international audience.”
21OPCC will boast over 100 live presentations, five international presentations, ten workshops, five industry panel sessions, the National Palliative Care Awards ceremony, and even a virtual conference choir.
“And the virtual setting has been no barrier to building a rich and exciting program that has been well received by the sector as evident by the strong registration numbers,” Ms Rowland said.
In fact, with the additional barriers of travel, and accommodation removed, the conference will this year be more accessible, particularly for those beyond Australia’s shores.
Ms Rowland says that likewise, the Conference’s extensive scholarship program is an extremely valuable investment in the palliative care workforce, and ensures the participation of practitioners, carers and volunteers who may not have had the opportunity to otherwise attend.
“I wish to thank the Australian Government’s generous support in partnering with Palliative Care Australia to deliver a scholarship program that will see over 100 scholarship recipients attend this year’s conference.”
21OPCC also boasts strong support from its international partner organisations – Hospice NZ, the Asia Pacific Palliative Care Network, the International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care, the Worldwide Hospice Palliative Care Alliance, the European Association for Palliative Care, and Australasian Palliative Link International.
Acknowledging that valuable support, Ms Rowland says the Conference provides the opportunity to facilitate knowledge and skills transfer across the Oceanic Region and beyond, and invites anyone with an interest in palliative care to register for 21OPCC before 7 September.
“The region shares a common goal to provide quality palliative care. Events such as the Oceanic Palliative Care Conference provide the sector the valuable opportunity to share that collective knowledge not just within the Oceanic region but to the rest of the world as well.”
The above interview with Camilla Rowland, Chief Executive Officer, Palliative Care Australia (pictured left) was conducted by Jeremy Henderson, National Communications Director