On 12th May 2026, members of PCNSW’s Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Communities & Palliative Care Professional Network attended an online member circle on the iCanPlan Project: Improving Advance Care Planning Among Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Communities. Held during National Palliative Care Week, this member circle highlighted the importance of discussing what matters most with the theme Getting to the heart of it: Big Questions. Real Answers.
Presented by Dr Ashfaq Chauhan and Dr Upma Chitkara from Macquarie University, the session highlighted progress made in the iCanPlan Project, which aims to improve the uptake of Advance Care Planning (ACP) communication among people from CALD backgrounds who require language support. The goal of the project is to provide evidence-based resources to improve person-centred end-of-life care for the over 10 million Australians who were either born overseas or had parents born overseas, who may experience cancer. As a result, this project directly addresses the priorities and focus areas for action in the NSW Cancer Plan.
While the iCanPlan Project is ongoing and is expected to be completed soon, the project has identified that ACP conversations can be difficult, especially for those from CALD backgrounds who need an interpreter, and that it’s important that clinicians and interpreters work closely together during these discussions to ensure quality care.
The research to date has found:
- Teamwork between clinicians and interpreters is key—but often lacking
- This gap may contribute to lower ACP uptake in CALD communities
The team worked with interpreters, clinicians, CALD community members, and other cancer system stakeholders to design a solution.
- A major finding was the lack of specialised ACP training for interpreters in NSW
- An education video was developed in response and in collaboration with NSW Health Care Interpreter Services and Advance Care Planning Australia: https://youtu.be/6tvPVqzN75M?si=MgSBD1VTQaOzAVzo&t=1
Who should watch this video?
- Medical interpreters working with CALD communities
- Clinicians and healthcare staff involved in ACP conversations
- Anyone interested in improving equity in end-of-life care
If you are an interpreter in NSW, you can also access the recording through NSW HCIS PDC SharePoint webinar library via the following link: https://nswhealth.sharepoint.com/site…. At the end of the webinar, you can complete a quiz and request a professional development certificate.
Palliative Care NSW would like to thank Dr Ashfaq Chauhan and Dr Upma Chitkara for presenting on this ‘first of its kind’ program to our Professional Network, which aims to improve palliative and end-of-life care outcomes for CALD communities across Australia.
Learn more about the iCanPlan Program HERE.
Members of PCNSW can join the CALD Communities & Palliative Care Professional Network HERE.