Palliative Petition nears 60,000

Aged Care Insite – December 2012

One woman is behind a growing campaign calling for better palliative care services, especially in the bush. Amie Larter reports

Yvonne McMaster is possibly one of Australia’s most passionate palliative care lobbyists.

Extremely concerned about current levels of funding dedicated to palliative care services in NSW, McMaster started a petition to help the NSW Health ministry be able to justify to the Treasury and the community sufficient expenditure for palliative care so that every person has the best possible attention when approaching the end of their life.

“The government has already moved a bit by giving an extra $5 million for three years to start from June next year,” McMaster said. “Everyone knows that this is nowhere near enough to provide equitable care for people in rural areas – the west is worse served than any other part of the state of NSW.”

McMaster, who lives in Wahroonga, Sydney, has already created a great deal of awareness; the petition has already been signed by 59,864 people. “The wonderful palliative care nurses are doing their best but they are up against it with staffing. It is simply not sustainable at present and it is hard for them to provide the services they need to keep people comfortable at home,” she said. more