Llew O/Brien congratulates Gympie’s Little Haven Palliative Care for Recognition in PC inquiry report

6 April 2018

Llew O’Brien congratulates Gympie’s Little Haven Palliative Care for Recognition in PC inquiry report

The high quality service that is delivered by Gympie’s Little Haven Palliative Care has been recognized in the Productivity Commission Inquiry report – Introducing Competition and Informed User Choice into Human Services: Reforms to Human Services.

“For decades we’ve known Little Haven provides high quality care to people with terminal illness in the Gympie region,” Mr O’Brien said.

“It’s wonderful to see the Productivity Commission after an extensive review of end of life care across Australia has not only recognized the incredible value of the service, but made national adoption of community based Palliative Care their number 1 recommendation.”

RECOMMENDATION 4.1
State and Territory Governments should increase the availability of community-based
palliative care so that people with a preference to die at home can access support to do so.

“Little Haven Business Manager, Sue Manton is to be congratulated on the three separate submissions to the Inquiry and her appearance before the Commissions public hearing in Melbourne.” Mr O’Brien said.

“The Productivity Commission Report, which highlights the incredible value of the community based service, is an absolute credit to the Little Haven staff and volunteers and the Gympie community that has supported and been the majority funder of the service for over 37 years.

“Just 35 per cent of Little Haven’s budget comes from the Queensland Government. Without the goodwill of the Gympie community Little Haven would not be the gold standard of community based palliative care it is today.

“The care Little Haven provides offers substantial savings to the State, which would otherwise be responsible for providing this support in hospitals that have significantly higher overheads.

“In home palliative care is not only cost effective, but it also meets the wishes of many people who, when approaching the end of their life, wish to remain in the comfort, security and familiar surrounds of their own home.”

The commission’s report calls for better stewardship by Government in planning and allocation of resources for end of life care. 

“I will continue to support Little Haven’s push for a Government funding model that is equitable and sustainable”, Mr O’Brien said.

“I congratulate everyone at Little Haven for their work in achieving this recognition and encourage the community to continue their strong support of this vital organization.”

The Productivity Commission report is available at the website:
http://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/completed/human-services/reforms/report/01-human-services-reforms-life.pdf

ENDS

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