Proportion of palliative care phases for people with life-limiting illnesses for which family or carer problems improved or remained at a low level after intervention. This measure is about ensuring that the carers of people with life-limiting illnesses get the support they need. Carers need support to help them provide care in a manner that also promotes their own health, well-being, and personal aspirations. The only national data currently available to describe carers' experience is through the experience of the person with a life-limiting illness. This may not accurately reflect how well supported a carer feels. The desired outcome for this measure is that more carers have the support they need, meaning the measure will increase. The computation is: (Numerator ÷ Denominator) x 100.

Number of palliative care phases ending within the reference year with a valid Palliative Care Problem Severity Score (PCPSS) for 'Family/Carer' problems at phase start and end and for which the PCPSS for 'Family/Carer' problems improved or remained absent/mild.

Number of palliative care phases ending within the reference year with a valid Palliative Care Problem Severity Score (PCPSS) for 'Family/Carer' problems at phase start and end.

All phases without a valid start and end Palliative Care Problem Severity Score (PCPSS) for 'Family/Carer' problems were excluded. PCPSS assessments are not performed at death.

Yes. Disaggregation by: Age group, Sex, Socioeconomic area, Remoteness area, Diagnosis, Setting, Phase type, Problem severity at phase start.

The Palliative Care Outcomes Collaboration (PCOC) is the data source. PCOC is a national palliative care outcomes quality improvement program. The program uses standardised validated clinical assessment tools to benchmark and measure outcomes in palliative care, including pain and symptom control, and timely access to services when they are needed to drive quality improvements. The PCOC data collection includes patient demographics, clinical setting information, and patient outcomes collected via the 5 assessment tools: Palliative Care Phase Palliative Care Problem Severity Score (PCPSS); Symptom Assessment Scale (SAS); Australia-modified Karnofsky Performance Status (AKPS) Scale; Resource Utilisation Groups – Activities of Daily Living (RUG-ADL).

Public reporting.

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). Development of the National Palliative Care Measures. Canberra (AU): AIHW; 2024. Available from: www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/0ecbb5b1-4f83-4706-85ef-b0852318b7df/aihw-hse254-development-of-the-national-palliative-care-measures.pdf. Accessed 04 September 2024.

www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/51fde10c-2fec-4da5-be4f-384cf0849b9a/national-palliative-care-measures.pdf?v=20240627211341&inline=true

www.aihw.gov.au/reports/palliative-care-services/national-palliative-care-measures/contents/continuous/measure-3-2