Background to Palliative Care Services in Victoria

Palliative Care in Victoria developed in the 1980’s with State based funding. In 1987, the Commonwealth introduced the Medicare Incentives Package, which gave the States monies to fund community palliative care services. By 1991, Victoria had 23 community-based palliative care agencies. In 1993 a Ministerial Task Force on palliative care was appointed to advise on the development of a comprehensive and integrated palliative care system within the general health system. The Task Force reported in 1995 in Palliative Care Services in Victoria: A Vision.

Building on the work of the Task Force, in October 1996 the Department of Human Services (DHS) published planning and resource guidelines in a document entitled Palliative Care in Victoria: The Way Forward. These service and resource guidelines set parameters for a restructure of community-based services and expansion of inpatient hospice services across the State.

An Implementation Steering Committee was established to provide advice on the implementation of goals and strategies contained in the recommendations. Following consultations in all DHS Regions, the Committee produced their report, entitled Victorian Palliative Care Services: Service Integration – Directions for the Future.

This resulted in a tender process in 1998 for community-based palliative care services that remain essentially unchanged today.

References
Victoria. Palliative Care Task Force. Palliative Care Services in Victoria: A Vision. Melbourne, Victoria: Palliative Care Task Force, 1995.
Victoria. Department of Human Services. Palliative Care in Victoria: The Way Forward. Melbourne: Services Redevelopment Unit, Aged, Community and Mental Health Division, Victorian Government, Department of Human Services, 1996.
Victoria. Department of Human Services. Victorian Palliative Care Services: Service Integration – Directions for the Future. Victorian Government, Department of Human Services, 1997