North West Palliative Care

What: Media Door Stop
Where: OneCare Rubicon Grove – 89 Club Drive, Port Sorrell, Tas
When: Thursday 18 June at 3:00pm
Who: ANMF Secretary Emily Shepherd & ANMF members

The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation Tasmanian Branch (ANMF) will today support members at One Care, Rubicon Grove, Residential Aged Care facility as they call on the Tasmanian Government to reinstate the funding for the Comprehensive Palliative Care in Aged Care (CPCiAC) service.

ANMF Tasmanian Branch Secretary Emily Shepherd said the CPCiAC directly supports those with life limiting illnesses residing in Residential Aged Care.

“Nurses and Residents at Rubicon Grove – like all other residential aged care facilities – have directly benefited from the CPCiAC program.” Ms Shepherd said.

“This has allowed residents to stay in their home at Rubicon Grove and allowed them to die here.”

Ms Shepherd said, unfortunately, this service will cease on July 1, 2026.

“While the Minister for Health Bridget Archer has stated the Department of Health has advised the existing Specialist Palliative Care Services will still see residents in Residential Aged Care, the reality is that they will not have capacity to pick up an extra 1400 patients with less resources.

“The Tasmanian Government admitted this week it has $1 million Tasmanians taxpayers’ money on their own Minister’s personal legal bills, they won’t agree to fund three Clinical Nurse Consultants to continue the CPCiAC model to support terminally ill, elderly Tasmanians which will not even cost half a million dollars.”

Ms Shepherd said without the CPCiAC service, the reality is a large majority of residents with palliative care needs will end up in our State’s Emergency Department, transported by Ambulance.

“This is clearly a significant cost to the Tasmanian Government, not to mention a huge personal cost to the frail elderly Tasmanians.

‘The ANMF has urged the Minister to measure the cost savings of ceasing the CPCiAC model against the costs that will be incurred with residents seeking care and treatment in the State’s over stretched Emergency Departments.

“The Tasmanian Government may argue that this is a Federal Government jurisdiction.

“However, the fact of the matter is that these are elderly, frail and terminally ill Tasmanians who have paid taxes all their lives and contributed to the Tasmanian community.

“Yet in their time of need, their Government would rather support their own Ministers in defending their integrity commission complaints instead of dying Tasmanians.”

Ms Shepherd said the ANMF will continue to advocate for this vital service, its members and dying Tasmanians.

-End-

Media contact:
A.Mark Thomas, M&M Communications
Mobile: 0422 006 2732