Palliative care research in Australia has had a rapid period of growth and development since 2000 when the first National Palliative Care Program was funded by the then Department of Health and Ageing.
The Program was implemented following the Australian Health Ministers' Advisory Council endorsement of the first National Palliative Care Strategy in October 2000. The Australian Health Ministers' Conference has more recently endorsed the , National Palliative Care Strategy 2018, and the Australian Government Department of Health continues to support a range of palliative care programs and initiatives.
An early focus was on the need for palliative care research and this included a joint initiative with the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) called the Palliative Care Research Program (2001 - 2010). A second focus area looked at increased access to palliative care medicines in the community which included funding for a clinical research collaborative, the Palliative Care Clinical Studies Collaborative (PaCCSC) initially established at Flinders University under the leadership of Professor David Currow. Since these early days research methodologies and areas have expanded as has the number of specialist research groups around Australia. These have contributed significantly to the development of the palliative care field. Some groups are specifically focused on palliative care, whilst others cross disciplines and are close collaborators with palliative care researchers. Some of these research groups are listed below:
From a focus on capacity building, palliative care research on Australia is now mature and vibrant addressing a wide range of important clinical, patient and social issues around palliative care, death, dying and grief. The research has been supported by increasing numbers of research higher degree students and by the growth of multidisciplinary teams which enable a focus on a more diverse set of research problems and solutions.
A recent systematic review highlighted seven priority areas for palliative care research: Service Models, Continuity of Care; Training and Education; Inequality of Access; Communication; Patient Preference and Experience; and Recognising the needs and importance of Family Carers. However, the authors noted that the voice of the care provider dominated and called for a more inclusive means to capture the patient and family voice. [1] Other authors have called for clarity around research methodological and definitional issues [2]; inclusion, access and equity for all people with palliative care needs [3]; multimorbidity and primary care [4]; grief and bereavement [5]; paediatric pain and palliative care [6]; and the contribution of technology to care and outcomes. [7]
