Palliative Care in the Murrumbidgee: Community and Provider Survey

Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network (MPHN) is working to improve access to safe, quality palliative care at home and strengthen end-of-life care in primary care. This survey is open to community members as well as service providers and health professionals. Your feedback will help us understand community and service provider needs and inform strategies that support people to be cared for and pass away in their place of choice.

Please note:

• Participation is voluntary.

• All responses will be kept confidential.

• Data will be stored securely and managed in line with Australian privacy and data protection laws.

• If you provide your email address it will be stored separately from your survey responses and will remain confidential.

We understand that people may not be aware of what palliative care really means. Our aim is to improve community understanding and promote death literacy so that individuals and families feel informed and supported when facing a life-limiting illness. Your answers will help us design education and engagement activities that reflect local needs and values. 

Access to palliative care can look different across the Murrumbidgee, especially in rural and remote communities. We want to understand your experiences including, whether care was available when needed, where it was provided, and what barriers you faced. This information will help us improve coordination of services and ensure people can receive care in their preferred place, including at home or on Country.

Carers play a vital role in supporting people with life-limiting illnesses, but they often face emotional, practical, and financial challenges. Our current strategies aim to improve carer well-being, provide education and practical support, and ensure equitable access to bereavement resources. These questions help us understand what support carers need and how we can strengthen community capacity and promote death literacy.

Your General Practitioner (GP) and primary care team often play a key role in identifying palliative care needs early and coordinating care, as well as bereavement care. We want to understand how comfortable people feel discussing palliative care with their GP and whether there are delays in referrals and bereavement support. This helps us strengthen communication, care planning, and support through local health services and community organisations.

Our recent consultation with First Nations communities highlighted that cultural safety is essential for palliative care. People told us that mistrust of mainstream healthcare, lack of cultural understanding, and limited options for care on Country are major barriers. The consultation also recommended community-led approaches and stronger collaboration with Aboriginal Health Workers to improve trust and access. These questions help us understand what matters most to you and how we can implement culturally safe care and community-driven solutions.

We recognise that people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds may have specific needs and preferences when it comes to palliative care. Cultural beliefs, traditions, and language can influence how care is understood and delivered. Your feedback will help us ensure services are respectful, inclusive, and responsive to all communities.

Advance Care Planning helps ensure your future health care reflects your wishes, if you can no longer speak for yourself. We want to understand how familiar you are with planning ahead and whether digital tools, like telehealth or online resources could make this easier for you and your family. Your feedback will guide us in creating practical, accessible options that support choice and dignity at every stage of care.

MPHN is committed to supporting health professionals' delivery of high quality palliative care in primary care. We know that collaboration between primary care, health services, specialist palliative care and community services are essential to ensure people receive care in their place of choice. 

Your insights will help us identify and build on what's already working well. Participation is voluntary and all results are confidential.

We want to understand who is completing this survey and the context of your work. This helps us interpret responses and tailor support to different settings.

Collaboration is key to timely, coordinated care. We also want to understand how services support people to die in their place of choice and what you see as the strengths and barriers to achieving this.

GPs and multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) play a central role in community-based palliative care. We want to understand confidence levels and what would help strengthen these roles. 

Bereavement care is an important part of palliative care. We want to understand what support you provide and what could help improve this.

Advance Care Planning helps ensure care aligns with patient wishes. We want to know who you think should lead these discussions, when they should occur, and what support you need.

Cultural safety is essential for respectful care. We want to understand your confidence and what resources would help you provide culturally safe care. 

Digital health tools are transforming how palliative care is delivered. Telehealth can improve access to timely consultations, especially in rural and remote areas, while My Health Record helps ensure advance care planning documents and clinical information is available when needed.

We want to make palliative care in the Murrumbidgee region as responsive and supportive as possible. Your ideas and experiences can help shape future services, improve coordination, and ensure care is delivered in your place of choice. This is your opportunity to tell us what would make palliative care better for you, your family, and your community.

Your ideas can help shape how we support primary care, to provide palliative care in the community and improve collaboration.