VRGP Palliative Care

Palliative care is an essential specialty for rural generalists, particularly as ageing populations grow and the prevalence of diseases with a palliative phase—and therefore the overall end-of-life care burden—continues to increase. The current specialist-based palliative care system lacks the capacity to manage all deaths, meaning responsibility must be shared across the healthcare workforce, especially within primary care. This challenge is further intensified in rural and remote areas, where most specialist services are concentrated in urban centres. In these settings, factors such as stage of illness, care environment, and patient preferences add significant complexity, making it crucial that rural generalists are equipped with appropriate training and support. By undertaking Advanced Training in Palliative Care, practitioners can build the skills needed to navigate these challenges and deliver high-quality, patient-centred care, ultimately contributing to improved equity of access to skilled providers and quality palliative care for rural Australians.