Skip to main content

End of Life Care in Progressive Neurological Disease: Australia

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
  • 984 Accesses

Abstract

People with a progressive neurological disease can benefit from an integrated model of care which addresses their health and disability care needs over the course of their illness, and helps them to plan for the end of life. Australians enjoy a modern, mandated health and social welfare system, but a coordinated approach to chronic disease management is yet to be fully realised. This article reviews Australian health and disability service arrangements for chronic neurological disease, including some of the problems that arise from dichotomous governance and funding responsibilities in a federal system. Increasing use of E-technology should foster better communication and more effective teamwork in the future. By reducing the need for travel, E-health will also provide greater equity of access to specialist services and education.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Buying options

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Australian Bureau of Statistics. Australian government. http://www.abs.gov.au. Accessed 31 Aug 2011.

  2. Roberts-Thomson PJ, Roberts-Thomson RA, Nikoloutsopoulos T, Gillis D. Immune dysfunction in Australian aborigines. Asian Pac J Allergy Immunol. 2005;23(4):235–44.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Palliative Care Australia (PCA). The hardest thing we have ever done – the social impact of caring for terminally ill people in Australia 2004: full report of the national inquiry into the social impact of caring for terminally ill Australians, PCA, Canberra, 2004.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Palliative Care Australia. Position statement. Carers and end of life. http://www.palliativecare.org.au. Accessed 28 Aug 2011.

  5. Cummins RA, Hughes J, Tomyn A, Gibson A, Woerner J, Lai L. Australian Unity Wellbeing Index, Survey 17.1, Oct 2007. The wellbeing of Australians – carer health and wellbeing. Deakin University, Australian Unity Ltd and Carers Australia, Melbourne. 2007. http://www.deakin.edu.au/research/acqol/index_wellbeing/index.htm. Accessed 28 Aug 2011.

  6. Australian Government. Productivity commission inquiry report – disability care and support. 2011. http://www.pc.gov.au. Accessed 29 Aug 2011.

  7. Respecting Patient Choices, Advanced Care Planning. Project funded under the National Palliative Care Program, supported by the Australian Government and the Victorian Department of Health. http://www.respectingpatientchoices.org.au. Accessed 31 Aug 2011.

  8. Royal College of Physicians UK. National Guidelines No. 10 Long-term neurological conditions: management at the interface between neurology, rehabilitation and palliative care. 2008.

    Google Scholar 

  9. National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission. A healthier future for all Australians – final report. 2009. http://www.yourhealth.gov.au. Accessed 5 Sept 2011.

  10. Brand C, Greenberg P, Sargious P. Chronic disease management: time for consultant physicians to take more leadership in system redesign. Intern Med J. 2007;37(9):653–9.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Palliative Care Australia. Strategic plan 2008–2011. http://www.palliativecare.org.au. Accessed 17 Aug 2011.

  12. Jackson K, Mooney C, Campbell D. The development and implementation of the pathway for improving the care of the dying in general medical wards. Intern Med J. 2009;39(10):695–9.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Submission to the National Health and Medical Research Council on the Ethical Issues Involved in the Transitions to Palliation and End of Life Care for People with Chronic Conditions on behalf of The Royal Australasian College of Physicians. 2010. http://www.racp.edu.au. Accessed 4 Sept 2011.

  14. Steel J, Burnham R. Teams without walls: enabling partnerships between generalists and specialists. Clin Med. 2009;9(1):74–5.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Palliative Care Australia – Position Statement. Workforce for quality care at the end of life. http://www.palliativecare.org.au. Accessed 17 Aug 2011.

  16. Neurological Alliance Australia. Submission to the productivity commission’s inquiry into disability care and support. 2010. http://www.pc.gov.au/_data/assets/pdf_file/0017/102752/sub0521.pdf. Accessed 3 Sept 2011.

  17. Mathers S. Submission to the productivity commission’s inquiry into disability care and support. Continuous care for people with a progressive neurological disability. 2010. Submission No. 436.

    Google Scholar 

  18. MS Australia (ACT,NSW,Vic) and Calvary Health Care Bethlehem. The continuous care pilot – final report. 2010. http://www.mssociety.org.au/documents/CCCPilot/TOTAL-combined-CCP-REPORT-FINAL.pdf. Accessed on 3 Sept 2011.

  19. Australian Government. National broadband network. http://www.nbn.gov.au. Accessed on 3 Sept 2011.

  20. Australian Government. Connecting health services with the future: modernising medicare by providing rebates for on-line consultations. 2011. http://www.mbsonline.gov.au/telehealth. Accessed 3 Sept 2011.

  21. Australian Government. Department of health and ageing. National health reform-medicare locals. http://www.yourhealth.gov.au/internet/yourhealth/publishing.nsf/content/medilocals-lp-1. Accessed 3 Sept 2011.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Susan Mathers MB ChB, MRCP (UK), FRACP .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2013 Springer-Verlag London

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Mathers, S. (2013). End of Life Care in Progressive Neurological Disease: Australia. In: Oliver, D. (eds) End of Life Care in Neurological Disease. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-85729-682-5_11

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-85729-682-5_11

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-85729-681-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-0-85729-682-5

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics