The Chair of Wagga's Palliative Care Alliance has welcomed a $743 million palliative care funding boost, but says the sector has been neglected for quite some time.
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Announced last week's state budget to improve services and create new jobs across the state, the funding will flow to the palliative care sector over the next five years.
"It's timely, it's critically needed and it's probably overdue," Professor Gerard Carroll said.
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"Across the state there's a need for both in-patient and out-patient palliative care services."
Professor Carroll said while the majority of services were provided to out-patients in their homes, a "significant minority" require admission to a facility.
He said there is also a real need to provide equity of access to palliative care across the region.
Professor Carroll, an outspoken opponent of the recently passed voluntary assisted dying (VAD) bill, said the funding was needed irrespective of the euthanasia debate.
"The bill may have drawn attention to the issue, but [for some time] we've had a considerable under-servicing of palliative care services particularly in rural and regional NSW," he said.
He also said it will be very interesting to see how the funding is divided up across the state.
"Clearly increased funding for our area will be put to good use and hopefully we will get our fair share of the funding pie," he said.
Wagga man Geoff Burch tragically lost his wife Sue to cancer last year and also welcomed the funding boost.
"My wife went through palliative care and the service she received at Calvary was excellent," Mr Burch said.
"But I know people from Griffith who have had to travel over here for care, so there's certainly issues within the region that make it harder for some people to access care than others."
After enduring his wife's illness, Mr Burch came to the conclusion that palliative care "wasn't enough" and welcomed the recent passing of the VAD bill.
And he believes the euthanasia debate helped spark the coalition's major funding announcement.
"One of the concerns raised by opponents to the bill was they thought a solution to the issue was to provide better palliative care and I think the government committed to that as part of the discussion," he said.
The coalition's funding announcement will also see the employment of an extra 600 nurses, allied health professionals, doctors and support staff.
In addition it will see a boost to hospital capacity, improved access to pain management services for patients with life-limiting illnesses and improved services for people with late-stage chronic and degenerative conditions and cancer.
Regional Health minister Bronnie Taylor said the announcement shows the state government is placing a strong focus on caring for people in country communities.
"As a former palliative care nurse, I know how significant this package will be for patients and their loved ones," she said.
"Everyone has the right to die with dignity, and this package will provide better access to palliative care no matter where you live."
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