Palliative care unit promised for Westmead, Nepean hospitals

More than a decade after it closed, the government has vowed to reopen a palliative care unit in the nation’s largest hospital. Campaigners react to the news.

Palliative care campaigners are “optimistic’’ about a State Government promise to allocate $743 million towards end-of-life services across NSW hospitals, including Westmead, but say it is critical to get specific details about its rollout.

Treasurer Matt Kean said the funds would be allocated towards pain management services and an extra 600 health staff across the state’s hospitals once the program is fully rolled out over the next five years.

“The funding boost will allow us to employ an extra 600 nurses, allied health professionals, doctors and support staff to care for people at their most vulnerable time, who will be of great comfort to patients and families alike,” Mr Kean said.

“This funding will allow more people to live at home and close to loved ones when they need them most. It will improve access to new treatments, world-leading pain management services and medications, and community-based services to reduce unnecessary stays in hospitals.”

Health Minister Brad Hazzard said the investment would also increase the number of short-term, high-care beds in rural, regional and metropolitan hospitals.

As well as Westmead, a palliative care unit will be built at Nepean Hospital, which will share in $93 million to establish the facilities.

Dr Philip Lee at Westmead Hospital, which has been without a palliative care unit for 13 years. Picture: John Appleyard

Westmead Push for Palliative Care leader Dr Philip Lee, who has lobbied for a palliative care unit at the major hospital, welcomed NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet’s announcement.

“I’m optimistic from what he proposed but there’s still those questions that need to be answered — how many beds, what’s the funding and what’s the timeline,’’ he said.

Dr Lee, a retired physician, who was the Westmead Hospital palliative care service director for 10 years until its closure in 2009, said 12 beds would be needed at Westmead when the palliative care first opened but would need the capacity to expand when the demand increased.

He said one nurse was needed for three patients.

“The critical thing is that Westmead has lost its palliative care nurses so we need to train nurses to fill the gaps … and that’s going to take time but you just need that commitment,’’ he said.

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