Supportive and Palliative Care
Supportive and palliative care teams provide physical, emotional and social support to you and your family. This includes managing symptoms related to the illness and helping families manage stress and emotional impacts.
Support is available to people of any age, including their family members and in a variety of settings: at home, in clinic or in hospital.
Our supportive and palliative care services at Monash Health include:
How we provide care
Palliative Care Units
We have Palliative Care Units located within the hospital that provide a supportive, holistic environment for people living with a life-limiting illness. After an initial assessment, the person can be admitted directly from home or transferred from another hospital ward.
Care can be provided at any stage of illness and can include end-of-life care. Learn more about our Palliative Care Units.
Supportive and Palliative Care Consultancy Service
The Supportive and Palliative Care Consultancy Service is made up of specialist medical and nursing team members who support people with palliative care needs while they are in hospital. The team helps to manage symptoms such as pain, nausea and shortness of breath. They also provide counselling to address any worries and concerns identified before discharge.
Specialist clinics
Monash Health has multiple clinics that give access to supportive and palliative care outside hospital. Clinic teams work with a person’s existing care teams that may include a GP, Specialists and Community Palliative Care (e.g. Palliative Care South East, Eastern Palliative Care and Calvary Health Care Bethlehem).
These clinics include:
- Onco-Pain Clinic
- Supportive Care Clinic
- Casey Palliative Care Clinic
RAPID palliative care
After you are discharged from hospital, RAPID provides short-term support for your symptoms such as pain. This support can be in place until connection to a Community Palliative Care service is made, or until you are reviewed in a clinic appointment. This team is also available to support patients admitted under the Hospital in the Home program and other Monash Community providers, such as Residential In-Reach and Community Assessment Response Team (CART).
Learn more about our Palliative Care Units and Teams
What our community tells us
‘It gives me a bit of comfort to know that there are volunteers here who will go and see my aunt after I return home overseas. She is by herself here and has no support.’
‘ [We had a] long chat to support me in this very difficult time when my parent is so unwell. I felt better that someone really listened and understood how I was feeling. I am very grateful.’
‘I am so very grateful for the care and support provided by the palliative care team. The care that I’m provided would not be half as supportive and comforting if they were not involved. I am truly appreciative for all their care and support.’
‘The service my dad and myself were provided throughout his short illness was amazing. I felt supported throughout, even though my father was the patient.’
‘This clinic provides an exceptional service for cancer patients and is essential.’
‘This is a very beneficial service… allows timely review of our patients needing specialist palliative care.’