Case studies: palliative care in Vital Signs 2014: The State of Safety and Quality in Australian Health Care

Palliative care is a vital component

of Australia’s healthcare services,

and is provided to those living with a

life‑threatening illness, whether they

are adults, adolescents or children.

The aim of palliative care is to improve a

person’s quality of life by managing the

symptoms of their illness and providing

emotional, spiritual and social support

for the person and their family or carers.

Unlike other areas in health care,

palliative care focuses on addressing

the patient’s needs rather than the

underlying medical diagnosis (see the

box on the right).