A patient is eligible for referral to the Specialist Palliative Care Service for assessment if:

The patient has progressive, life limiting disease (malignant and/or non-malignant) and any of the following:

• Anticipation of complex palliative care needs in the foreseeable future
• Pain or symptoms which the primary care team require further advice to manage optimally
• The patient and/or their family has complex psychological, social, spiritual, or cultural needs that require palliative care support
• The patient is dying, and the primary care team requires additional support and/or advice.

It is preferable that patients consent to the referral, however it is understood that is not always possible or culturally appropriate.

Triggers that might lead to a referral include:

• The diagnosis of a life limiting illness
• Progressive disease despite life prolonging therapy
• Low probability of success from available therapeutic options
• Withdrawal, or consideration of withdrawal, of life prolonging treatment (e.g., haemodialysis, ventilation)
• The patient wants to die at home
• Patient or family concern about end-of-life issues
• Patient and/ or carer distress related to life limiting illness
• Recurrent presentations to hospital related to life limiting illness
• Recent marked decline in physical function related to life limiting illness
• The referring clinician would not be surprised if the patient died within the next 12 months
• Patients and family request a palliative care consultation

Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) and Palliative Care

Palliative Care does not provide voluntary assisted dying; it is provided by the Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) service. Everyone is treated equally with respect, compassion, and dignity in relation to end of life choice. Our team will continue to support people who are exploring VAD as an option. Patients do not have to choose one or the other.

All referrals to our consultation/liaison service, palliative care unit and community service within the HHS require completion of the referral form which must be signed by a named medical doctor. Incomplete referrals will be returned and may delay assessment.

For use without general practice software (i.e. Private Hospital/Facility, RACF’s or Specialist) 

• Specialist Palliative Care Assessment (Condition) - Refer Your Patient

For use with general practice software, if template is not already uploaded into system (i.e. General Practitioners) 

• Referral Templates - Gold Coast Primary Health Network

All referred patients will be triaged and seen in order of clinical need. If you feel the patient requires urgent review please call the CNC/team member.

Inpatient Unit - Robina Hospital  
Purpose built 20-bed palliative care unit available.  

Inpatient Beds - Gold Coast University Hospital  
10 inpatient palliative care beds available.  

Patients are admitted to the Robina or Gold Coast University Hospital   
palliative care beds for:  

• Pain and symptom control.   
• Care during the last days of life when care at their home isn’t possible  

The service provides medical, nursing, allied health services. Assessment by the local palliative care service is required before admission can occur. Patients who   
are unable to return to community-based living are assisted to pursue residential care options where required.

The Community Service team sees patients in their home, including nursing homes. The team provides support to the GP who is their primary care provider.   

Care may be given in conjunction with NGO nurses for symptom management only, the community service unfortunately is unable to increase home services   
for the patient, this would be completed through My Aged Care (MAC) for the over 65s.  

Our helpful team will assess the patient by either an outpatient, telehealth or home visit appointment according to need and patient preference.   

The Outpatient Clinics are held at Robina and Gold Coast University Hospitals and are co-ordinated by the community services. There is no gap to pay.

Consultative teams are available to review patients with specialist needs who are inpatients within Gold Coast University and Robina Hospitals. Referral for review via the treating team is required for each new hospital admission.  

When a palliative care patient known to the service passes away; the family, including significant others, can receive follow up consultations by a Social Worker or other members of the team.   

Residents living in the Darling Downs and South-West Queensland have access to specialist palliative care telehealth consultations via the Gold Coast Clinical   
Hub.

• Specialist Palliative Rural Telehealth Service | Queensland Health

• Care at the end of life for parents, carers and families
• Advance care planning

• Care at the end of life - for clinicians