The need for palliative care in Aotearoa New Zealand

Death is inevitable. Dying is a whānau/family, social, spiritual and cultural experience, not just a medical event. A lack of access to holistic palliative care services in Aotearoa New Zealand means a good death may be out of reach for some. The population in Aotearoa New Zealand is ageing and the number of deaths is set to roughly double in the next 30 years. The current stretched resources to care for people who are dying are not sufficient to meet this increase in need.1 Palliative care is a human right, with laws in many European countries ensuring comprehensive delivery.2,3 Despite palliative care teams offering high levels of knowledge, skills and expertise, limited access to both generalist and specialist services undermines the overall care available. In particular, crisis support is limited.4 Comprehensive research shows that specialist palliative care not only improves quality of life but makes significant savings in healthcare spending by reducing unwanted and inappropriate medical treatments.5 This paper outlines the current challenges in palliative care provision in Aotearoa New Zealand and key reasons why it is imperative that palliative care delivery is appropriately resourced and developed to ensure everyone in Aotearoa New Zealand has access to quality care at the end of their lives.