Presentation by Fiona Grogan at the RICH Forum 2016. Palliative Care patients in Cootamundra historically were cared for in an inpatient hospital based service model. Palliative Care providers identified that with changes to after-hours services and improved integration of existing services most of these clients could be cared for within their homes. An integrated Palliative Care service model was developed between NSW Ambulance, General Practitioners, Local Health Advisory Group, community Palliative Care services, the local Nursing home and another local Aged Care facility, as well as the Acute and Community Health Services. Introduced were: multidisciplinary case conferences, joint home visiting with nurse and Doctor, increased integration with NSW Ambulance and introduction of ambulance protocols, increased use of advance care directives and improved pain management systems and the opportunity to use the palliative care suite at the local community Nursing Home, as an alternative to hospital admission The HealthOne Cootamundra Clinical Co-Ordination Palliative Care Group now share resources and have a model which is beneficial to all palliative care clients within the Shire.
