Orange’s long-awaited palliative care facility began a 12-month trial on Monday. The four-bed service is available to Orange Health Service patients and will be provided at Uniting’s Parkwood facility in Prince Street.
A Western NSW Local Health District spokeswoman said the level of clinical care would be the same as patients received at the hospital.
“Admission will be through consultation between the hospital and the patient’s GP and will take into account the type of care and services required by the individual patient,” she said.
“At the end of the 12 months there will be an evaluation of both the clinical care provided and experiences of patients and their families.”
Orange Push for Palliative Care president Jenny Hazelton said she was “thrilled” the service had started but wanted to see it extended beyond the trial and provide other services including respite care and sympathetic pain management.
“I’m really thrilled that at last we have a really wonderful option for end-of-life care and we will continue advocating. We are not done yet,” she said.
“We are determined this will be successful and go on, that it will be a valuable addition to our services and it will continue past the 12 month-trial.”
Read the fully story here on The Central Western Daily’s website.
Photo: Jenny Hazelton, Jann Porges, Tracey Wilkinson, John McDonogh, Clair Thompson, Kaye Dawes and Kezz Brett. [Photo: JUDE KEOGH]