Key Facts:
- Victoria's first comprehensive statewide palliative care report warns that growing demand will place increasing pressure on families and already stretched services and workforce.
- Access to palliative care is inequitable, with people's experiences varying based on location, socioeconomic circumstances, and background.
- A reported £6.5 million funding shortfall for community specialist palliative care services has been identified, highlighting the urgent need for sustained investment.
- The report reinforces Palliative Care Victoria's campaign message ahead of the 2026 Victorian State Election, calling for immediate planning, investment, and action.
- Many Victorians are accessing palliative care too late, with only around 6 per cent of those with non-cancer conditions receiving care three or more months before death, despite evidence that earlier intervention improves quality of life.
The first comprehensive statewide report of its kind in Victoria, State of Palliative Care in Victoria, warns that growing demand for palliative care will place increasing pressure on families, and on the already stretched services and workforce.
The report shows that access to palliative care is not equitable, with people's experience of care varying according to where they live, their socioeconomic circumstances and their background.
It also identifies a reported $6.5 million funding shortfall for community specialist palliative care services, highlighting the urgent need for sustained investment in palliative care services and the workforce.
The report reinforces Palliative Care Victoria's (PCV) campaign message for the 2026 Victorian State Election, that Tomorrow's Care Starts Today!
PCV Chief Executive Officer, Violet Platt, says that Victoria must act now.
"This report gives Victoria an important baseline for understanding where palliative care is today - and what must change to meet future need. Tomorrow's care starts today, with planning, investment and action."
Associate Professor Chris Schilling, Head of the Palliative Care Economics (PaCE) Unit at the University of Melbourne, said the report highlights how late palliative care is reaching many Victorians.
"Too many Victorians are finding palliative care too late. For people with conditions other than cancer, only around 6 per cent receive palliative care three months or more before death. Yet earlier palliative care can improve quality of life, support families and potentially reduce unnecessary healthcare use."
The State of Palliative Care in Victoria report
