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The views and opinions expressed in our blog series are those of the authors and are not necessarily supported by CareSearch, Flinders University and/or the Australian Government Department of Health.
Many health professionals would like to help patients with advance care planning. However, most of them need more training and support to improve their skills and confidence. Linda Nolte of Advance Care Planning Australia (ACPA) writes how their free online courses can help upskill and build the confidence of health professionals in this important area.
The End of Life Directions for Aged Care (ELDAC) helpline (1800 870 155) offers free access to information over the phone to people caring for older Australians with a palliative need. This includes all health professionals and workers in residential aged care, home care, general practice, primary health networks, and allied health professionals. Dr Georgia Rowley and Caroline Litster discuss what the ELDAC helpline is, why it was established, who it can support and reasons why to call it.
Health professionals, as well as patients and their carers and families, need easy and rapid access to reliable information to make informed and often difficult decisions about care. Professor Liz Reymond, Deputy Director of Metro South Palliative Care Service at Metro South Health Queensland writes why evidence on palliative care is crucial, and how CareSearch helps.
The rise of ageing and chronic illnesses means that most Australians are living with ill health and significant disability for many years before they die. In our 6th CareSearch@10 anniversary blog post, Kim Devery of Flinders University and End-of-Life Essentials writes why health professionals need trustworthy evidence.
Doctors caring for palliative patients encounter myriad of challenges. Dr Chris Moy chair of the Central Adelaide Clinical Council for Adelaide Primary Health Network and chair of the Federal AMA Ethics and Medico-legal Committee writes about the common hurdles faced by doctors, and how CareSearch can help them spend more time in caring for patients and their families.