Care Plus

Addressing barriers to early palliative care

A multi-site implementation of early palliative care in routine practice to improve health outcomes and reduce hospital admissions for people with advanced cancer.

About Our Program

introduction

Care Plus : A standardised and integrated approach to early palliative care for advanced cancer patients.

We have been developing and evaluating an innovative, equitable approach which directly addresses identified barriers to the early integration of palliative with cancer care and demonstrates how to implement such a practice change.

what does care plus address?

Care Plus addresses barriers to timely palliative care through an adaptable referral pathway introduced at key defined, disease-specific times or ‘trigger’ points (e.g. diagnosis or relapse) in advanced cancer.

Oncology and palliative care teams work together to agree on disease-specific times or ‘trigger’ points in identified advanced cancers.
Everyone reaching the nominated trigger point is routinely offered Care Plus, an extra layer of care of three outpatient appointments with specialist palliative clinicians alongside their usual cancer care.
Language, training and mentored support is available for referrers.

This model integrates palliative care within usual cancer care, and fosters a collaborative confidence among patients, families and clinicians to address the complex care needs of advanced cancer patients.

measured value to patients, carers & clinicians

Positive feedback centred around:

giving patients and their families or carers time to discuss their illness with specialist strategic help to manage the symptoms and emotional burden of living well with cancer
the integration of oncological and palliative care as part of high quality cancer care
strengthening clinical skills in how to introduce palliative care in a way that is helpful rather than daunting.

where is care plus available?

Currently, Care Plus is offered at three Victorian sites, across six cancer streams, and will expand to nine streams later in 2025.

The project team has developed an implementation package available for free use at www.careplusau.org and has a burgeoning Community of Practice for this innovative, integrated approach to early palliative care.

For more information email us at care-plus@unimelb.au

NHMRC-MRFF Keeping Australians Out of Hospital Research Grant APP1174028

“It’s trying to help people to understand that whilst, yes, there is an endpoint in the not-too-distant horizon, there’s plenty of time between now and then… different amounts for different people, obviously…. for us to make our lives the best they possibly could be in this period of time.” - Care Plus patient