The CareSearch project has recently released a white paper on Allied Health in Australia and its Role in Palliative Care based on its findings from the initial phase of its Engagement Project.

The paper analyses the context of allied health practice in Australia, and how allied health professionals might be supported to increasingly engage with palliative care.

Key findings include the need to support allied health with education and upskilling in palliative care, funding to support their work, and more accurate data on the use of allied health services.

The rate at which demand for palliative care services is growing has prompted concerns that specialist palliative care teams will not be able to satisfy future demand. It is therefore becoming critical that palliative care becomes the remit of all health professionals including allied health.