❓ A WA parliamentary question seeks detailed budgetary and staffing information on palliative care services in WA across various settings. The response provides some data, but acknowledges limitations in historical data availability and comprehensive staffing figures.
AnsweredQoN 746Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I
refer to palliative care in Western Australia and ask: (a) What
was the total budget for palliative care in Western Australia in the years
listed below. Please specify according to whether it was a hospital, aged care,
home or hospice setting: (i) 2018–2019; (ii) 2019–2020; (iii) 2020–2021; and (iv) 2021–2022; (b) What
is the number of full-time equivalent staff that were employed in delivering
palliative care in the years listed below. Please specify whether they were
employed in a hospital (including department), hospice, home or aged care
setting: (i) 2018–2019; (ii) 2019–2020; (iii) 2020–2021; and (iv) 2021–2022; (c) What
are the services that are delivered as part of palliative care in Western
Australia, and what is their cost per capita; and (d) Which
agencies currently provide palliative care services to Western Australians: (i) what
services do they provide; and (ii) how
much funding does each agency receive?
refer to palliative care in Western Australia and ask: (a) What
was the total budget for palliative care in Western Australia in the years
listed below. Please specify according to whether it was a hospital, aged care,
home or hospice setting: (i) 2018–2019; (ii) 2019–2020; (iii) 2020–2021; and (iv) 2021–2022; (b) What
is the number of full-time equivalent staff that were employed in delivering
palliative care in the years listed below. Please specify whether they were
employed in a hospital (including department), hospice, home or aged care
setting: (i) 2018–2019; (ii) 2019–2020; (iii) 2020–2021; and (iv) 2021–2022; (c) What
are the services that are delivered as part of palliative care in Western
Australia, and what is their cost per capita; and (d) Which
agencies currently provide palliative care services to Western Australians: (i) what
services do they provide; and (ii) how
much funding does each agency receive?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
8 August 2023
Responded by
Minister for Health
Response time
15 days
(a) (i – iv) Following the release of the Joint Select Committee My Life My Choice 2018 report actions were undertaken to further define palliative care reporting and better determine the activity and spend profiles for palliative care. Data from 2018-19 to 2020-21 is not available. The total State budget for palliative care for 2021-22 as at the 2021-22 Budget was $104.9 million. $46.1 million was allocated to hospital based palliative care and $58.8 million was allocated to community based palliative care.
(b) (i – iv) Total requested figures are not possible to ascertain across all settings and all health disciplines. FTE for the disciplines of specialist palliative care physicians and palliative care nurses only, are outlined below:
Specialist palliative care physicians employed in WA:
2018
28.7 FTE
2019
28.9 FTE
2020
27.9 FTE
2021
29.6 FTE
Nursing – employed in WA with a job area of Palliative Care
2018
304.1 FTE
2019
313.2 FTE
2020
335.6 FTE
2021
304.8 FTE
(c) Palliative care services are based on an individual’s needs:
· relief of pain and other symptoms (e.g. nausea, shortness of breath)
· support to live as actively as possible until death
· equipment to help you live at home, such as wheelchairs or special beds
· counselling and grief support for the individual, their family/ loved ones
· support for emotional, social and spiritual concerns
· access to support services (e.g. respite care, home help, financial support).
Based on the latest population estimate for 2022-23, the budgeted cost per head of population of delivering palliative care services in Western Australia is $39.52.
(d) (i – ii) Silver Chain and Bethesda Health Care are contracted agencies providing community-based specialist palliative care services in Western Australia. Funding was allocated in 2022-23 to both agencies, $21.7 million to Silver Chain and $2.4 million to Bethesda Health Care. Health Service Providers (East, North, South and WA Country) provide hospital based palliative care Provision of specialist palliative care includes relief of pain and other symptoms, psychosocial support, interventions to support quality of life and bereavement support.
(b) (i – iv) Total requested figures are not possible to ascertain across all settings and all health disciplines. FTE for the disciplines of specialist palliative care physicians and palliative care nurses only, are outlined below:
Specialist palliative care physicians employed in WA:
2018
28.7 FTE
2019
28.9 FTE
2020
27.9 FTE
2021
29.6 FTE
Nursing – employed in WA with a job area of Palliative Care
2018
304.1 FTE
2019
313.2 FTE
2020
335.6 FTE
2021
304.8 FTE
(c) Palliative care services are based on an individual’s needs:
· relief of pain and other symptoms (e.g. nausea, shortness of breath)
· support to live as actively as possible until death
· equipment to help you live at home, such as wheelchairs or special beds
· counselling and grief support for the individual, their family/ loved ones
· support for emotional, social and spiritual concerns
· access to support services (e.g. respite care, home help, financial support).
Based on the latest population estimate for 2022-23, the budgeted cost per head of population of delivering palliative care services in Western Australia is $39.52.
(d) (i – ii) Silver Chain and Bethesda Health Care are contracted agencies providing community-based specialist palliative care services in Western Australia. Funding was allocated in 2022-23 to both agencies, $21.7 million to Silver Chain and $2.4 million to Bethesda Health Care. Health Service Providers (East, North, South and WA Country) provide hospital based palliative care Provision of specialist palliative care includes relief of pain and other symptoms, psychosocial support, interventions to support quality of life and bereavement support.
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