Implementation of the Adelaide Hills Palliative Care project

The Rural Palliative Care Program (RPCP) is currently being implemented in eight pilot sites across Australia, under the banner of the National Palliative Care Program. It is one of a number of initiatives commissioned by the Department of Health and Ageing that are designed to achieve the goals of the National Palliative Care Strategy. Specifically the RPCP is testing service components that aim to improve access to palliative care for people living in rural and remote communities. With facilitation from the Australian Divisions of General Practice (ADGP), each project and the program as a whole, is undergoing a formal evaluation by the Centre for Health Service Development (CHSD), University of Wollongong. A key question being investigated is whether any systemic improvements in palliative care delivery are sustainable beyond completion of the 3-year program. This paper gives the background to the RPCP. The Adelaide Hills Palliative Care Project is discussed as an example of how strategies are derived and applied in order to test key service components pertinent to the delivery of palliative care in a rural setting.