12-Dec-2011 ORE than $1 million in funding will be restored to palliative care in northern Sydney, Health Minister Jillian Skinner says.
Her announcement comes after more than 20,000 people signed a petition protesting cuts to various aged care services in the area.
"I have a very strong personal commitment to the value of palliative care for terminally ill patients and their families whether it is provided in hospital or at home," Ms Skinner said in a release today.
"I am very pleased that we can restore funding for this critical service for our most vulnerable patients."
The funding cuts, which affected aged care charity HammondCare Health and local Hospitals, were "inflicted" by the former Labor government back in 2009, Ms Skinner said.
"I was very disappointed that a government could neglect a service that can improve the quality of the last months of a person's life and allow them to die with dignity," she said.
"Under this government, palliative care will not be disregarded in the same way as it was under Labor, and the first step to fixing this problem is to restore funding to services in northern Sydney."
Managing Director of CareWell Health, Jason Falinski, said "this does not change the fact that using hospitals to deal with people in this state of health is not helping them or the community."
Palliative care services should to match population needs and the government will work to identify and fill any gaps in the system, she said.
"This is an exciting announcement because it again gives palliative care the importance it deserves in our community," she said.
Her announcement comes after more than 20,000 people signed a petition protesting cuts to various aged care services in the area.
"I have a very strong personal commitment to the value of palliative care for terminally ill patients and their families whether it is provided in hospital or at home," Ms Skinner said in a release today.
"I am very pleased that we can restore funding for this critical service for our most vulnerable patients."
The funding cuts, which affected aged care charity HammondCare Health and local Hospitals, were "inflicted" by the former Labor government back in 2009, Ms Skinner said.
"I was very disappointed that a government could neglect a service that can improve the quality of the last months of a person's life and allow them to die with dignity," she said.
"Under this government, palliative care will not be disregarded in the same way as it was under Labor, and the first step to fixing this problem is to restore funding to services in northern Sydney."
Managing Director of CareWell Health, Jason Falinski, said "this does not change the fact that using hospitals to deal with people in this state of health is not helping them or the community."
Palliative care services should to match population needs and the government will work to identify and fill any gaps in the system, she said.
"This is an exciting announcement because it again gives palliative care the importance it deserves in our community," she said.
Comment