The Nationals WA have welcomed the establishment of a Joint Select Committee into Palliative Care in Western Australia.
Nationals WA Deputy Leader and Member for Moore Shane Love MLA is a member of the Committee that will inquire into and report on a range of issues including the delivery of palliative care in regional WA. The deadline for written submissions to the committee is 10 July 2020.
Party Leader Mia Davies said the Committee would also look at recommendations for palliative care that arose during debate of voluntary assisted dying (VAD) legislation last year.
“The VAD legislation was monumental and our scrutiny of the bill put a spotlight on the vast discrepancy in resources and reach of palliative care in regional WA compared to the city,” she said.
“Regional West Australians living with terminal illness and their families are regularly confronted with inadequate end-of-life services, meaning at a time they need support networks close by they often have to travel elsewhere in search of palliation.
“The formation of this committee gives our communities, health sector workers, advocacy groups and specialist stakeholders a chance to provide feedback on palliative care experiences so Members of Parliament better understand where investment can strengthen these important services.”
Its terms of reference include inquiring into the progress of measures to ensure greater equity of access to palliative care services between metropolitan and regional areas and implementation of recommendations contained in the Joint Select Committee into End of Life Choices.
Mr Love said he was pleased to join five other Members of Parliament on the Committee, which is due to report back to Parliament in November 2020.
“We want people from all walks of life to be part of this important conversation and I congratulate the State Government on meeting its commitment to look closely at palliative care in WA,” he said.
“When we leave Perth, the levels of disadvantage and restriction of access to medical treatment quickly emerge so I’m encouraged by this inquiry’s focus on regional and remote WA.
“I have no doubt about the need for palliative care and for it to be equally available to people in regional areas as it is in other areas.”
For more information about making a submission before 10 July, go to https://www.parliament.wa.gov.au/Parliament/commit.nsf/(EvidenceOnly)/2A02885A10F932684825857B0028CFAD?opendocument#Details
