Broken Hill Health Service Improves Palliative Care Experience
Palliative Care patients, families and carers will soon benefit from refurbishments to the Broken Hill Hospital thanks to a $395,000 boost from the NSW Government. Patient rooms and their outside courtyards within one wing of the Medical Ward will be refurbished to make the environment more home-like for palliative care patients and their families.
Courtyards outside each patient room will be developed to offer improved privacy and a more pleasant physical environment. Rooms will be furnished with more suitable beds and lounges for families to stay overnight with palliative care patients and a refreshment area and family meeting space will also be part of the refurbishment.
Far West LHD Director Cancer and Palliative Care Services, Melissa Cumming, said the refurbishments at Broken Hill Health Service are intended to help bring some comfort to people at the end of life.
'The refurbishment will complement the existing palliative care room and family suite located in the Medical Ward, giving more palliative care patients and families the opportunity to be cared for in a less clinical and more homelike environment,' said Ms Cumming.
'I am pleased that we will be able to improve the physical environment for palliative care patients and their families. We will be able to provide better facilities for families to spend time with their loved ones'.
The Broken Hill Health Service's palliative care rooms are one of 34 palliative care facilities across the state to be refurbished over the next two years, with planning underway for additional projects from 2021.
This project is funded in the NSW Government's commitment in 2019 of $10 million for palliative care facility refurbishments, as part of a $45 million enhancement over four years for palliative care, announced in the 2019-20 NSW budget.
The NSW Government is investing $10.1 billion in health infrastructure over the next four years to upgrade and build 29 hospital and health facilities.
The NSW Government's 2019-20 Budget commitment also includes recruitment of 100 new palliative care nurses, more Aboriginal Health Workers, and support for digital health to improve access to palliative care. This is in addition to the $100 million palliative care package announced in the 2017-18 Budget.