After much government lobbying, a palliative care trial was announced by the Premier, Gladys Berejiklian and the Health Minister, Mr Brad Hazzard, around the time of the 2017 State Election. Tenders were called and Uniting Parkwood was successful.

The trial commenced operation on 25 March 2019 and was available to Orange Health Service patients. The four-bed service was provided at Uniting’s Parkwood facility in Prince Street and the level o f clinical care was the same as patients receive in hospital. However, care was provided in a more home-like and relaxed environment, where patients’ families and loved ones coud spend quality time with them.

Jenny Hazelton, president of Orange Push for Palliative Care, was “thrilled” the service had started but recognised that the service was provided for end of life care only and other services including respite care and sympathetic pain management were still need to provide compmlete palliative care.

This trial was very successful and received much positive feedback from the community. However, NSW Health believed that the model of care was not financially sustainable. The trial finished on 31 December 2021.

Following further lobbying by OP4P, a two bed palliative care unit was established at Orange Hospital. This was part of a newly established HOPs area on Medical Ward A. It combined patients and services from Haematology, Oncology and Palliative Care. This was a major step forward in establishing a Centre of Excellence for these medical specialities.

Over the past three years one of the most significant achievements for OP4P has been the development of positive working relationships with all the key stakeholders in palliative care in Orange. There has been the acknowledgement by all stakeholders that there is a significant gap in the provision of palliative care designated beds in the hospital and community.

Strategic Taskforce for Palliative Care

The key stakeholders who are now members of Mr Donato’s strategic taskforce are:

• Orange City Council – Councillors and council staff

• Orange Health Service

• Local Health Council

• Western NSW Local Health District

• NSW Cancer Council

• Orange Aboriginal Medical Service

• LiveBetter

• Western NSW Primary Health Network

• General Practitioners

• Dudley Private Hospita

This committee has advocated for the provision of new comfortable home-like amenities at the local hospital such as soft furnishings, pull out beds, coffee and tea facilities for patients and their families in Coronary and Intensive Care and Medical Ward B. The Committee has sensitively reviewed a number of patient journeys and produced an informative thoughtful paper recommending changes based on this feedback. A number of documents and patient information brochures have been reviewed and revised.

• 100,000 signatures on petition to NSW Parliament for improved Palliative Care service for Orange.

• Regular media contact and advocacy on local print media, radio and TV.

• Participation in development and review of scoping document for the development of a hospice in Orange.

OP4P has run two Palliative Care forums at the Orange Ex-Services Club. These forums have been very well attended with over 400 people attending the Forum in 2016, and over 150 people attending the half day Forum in May 2018.

The extensive community consultation which formed a large part of the first forum has been instrumental in all further advocacy.

OP4P involved in ongoing lobbying in a number of forums for improvement of palliative care services in this district – which has resulted in 24/7 contact points for patients and their families receiving palliative care, increased staffing, and the establishment of a palliative care physician training position.

OP4P initiated contact with Dudley Private Hospital over a year ago to gauge their interest in providing palliative care services to both public and privately insured patients at Dudley. They have been very positive about this proposed model of care

OP4P then approached the Local Health District to advocate for the provision of four satellite palliative care beds for public (non-insured) patients at Dudley Private Hospital.

General Practitioners: All GPs in Orange have been contacted to gauge the level of interest in the proposition of providing medical care to private and public patients at Dudley Private Hospital. 21 GPs indicated their interest.

OP4P successfully lobbied the Minister for Health Mr Brad Hazzard, and gained an audience with him at a recent trip to Orange on 4 June 2018 regarding increased funding for the satellite palliative care beds.