Thousands die in needless pain due to lack of palliative care

A study released today highlights the huge numbers of people who die in needless pain each year due to lack of palliative care.

In Victoria, the government’s answer is “voluntary assisted dying” for an estimated 150 people a year and a woefully inadequate palliative care package for everyone else – less than $12m a year compared with the $65m a year that is needed.

If this doesn’t change, more than 10,000 Victorians a year, particularly in rural and regional Victoria, will continue to die in pain because they can’t get the palliative care they need. Hardly a compassionate outcome, despite all the talk about compassion in recent weeks.