University of Adelaide to lead collaboration to improve palliative care

The University of Adelaide will lead a state-wide consortium of universities and health and community partners in a $2.25 million project focussing on delivering improved palliative care services to some of the most vulnerable and marginalised in our community.

The unprecedented grant from the Hospital Research Foundation is allocated for the next five years to develop end-of-life care and services for culturally and linguistically diverse communities, rural and remote areas, and those experiencing low socio-economic status.

The project brings together South Australia’s leading experts from the Universities of Adelaide, South Australia and Flinders, local area health networks, and peak representative bodies.
Project Lead at the University of Adelaide, Associate Professor Jaklin Eliott says The Hospital Research Foundation Group funding signals an important commitment to better access to and delivery of palliative care.

“Sadly, not all South Australians know about and can access palliative care, sometimes due to issues such as location, community awareness, finances, and workforce limitations,” Associate Professor Eliott says. 

“With a public health, whole-of-system approach, and collaboration across three South Australian universities, we aim to promote improved death literacy within communities and support cultural literacy in palliative care with clinicians.

“Working closely with our partners, patients, their families and the community, our goal is to identify the innovations needed and develop the resources to support under-served South Australians to access the kind of end-of-life care that is preferred and meaningful to patients and their carers.” 

Associate Professor Eliott says the grant from The Hospital Research Foundation Group – Palliative Care will make a huge contribution to the community and to ensuring that all South Australians have the best access to sensitive, supportive end-of-life care.