palliPHARM

PalliPHARM Display Poster – An A3 display poster to show that your pharmacy supports end-of-life care in the community

palliPHARM Factsheet – To learn more about palliPHARM and the project’s activities

Core Palliative Care Medicines For Queensland Community Patients Factsheet

Community-based Palliative Care Anticipatory Medicines: Guidance for Queensland 

palliPHARM Letter of Intent

palliPHARM GP Letter – A template letter for community pharmacists, inviting discussions with local GPs about which core palliative care medicines to stock in their pharmacy.

QFinder 2.0 Pharmacy user guide – A step-by-step guide detailing how pharmacists can register their pharmacy or update their pharmacy details on QFinder 2.0. To register your pharmacy as providing “Palliative Care Support” on QFinder 2.0, follow the instructions on pages 10 and 11 of the guide.

Palliative Care Medicines Factsheet – An information sheet about palliative care medicines for people receiving palliative care and their families

Storing your palliative care medicines safely Factsheet – An information sheet about safe storage of palliative care medicines for people receiving palliative care and their families

Disposing of your palliative care medicines safely Factsheet – An information sheet about safe disposal of palliative care medicines for people receiving palliative care and their families

“I rang a local pharmacy to see if we could get some urgent subcutaneous medicines so the wife (sole carer) didn’t have to drive far to source these medicines. I was dubious as this pharmacy has never kept end-of-life medicines before…BUT they actually had everything for tonight and said that they were part of palliPHARM. It has made it much nice for the wife and my job easier too.”

Rebekah Park (B.Pharm)
Community Palliative Care Service

“……… Late on a Friday night in the days before Christmas we had the son of a palliative patient come into the pharmacy with scripts for his mother. He had called around trying to find medicines on the list and was so grateful that we had stock of the medicines they needed……………..”

Sue Pennells (B.Pharm)
TerryWhite Chemmart Coorparoo

“………..Community pharmacists are well positioned to help respond to the needs of palliative care patients and their families by committing to keep stock of recommended medications…………Ensuring patients in need are able to access these medicines safely, with the right advice and in a timely manner is something we are proud to commit to.”

Bridget Totterman (B.Pharm)
TerryWhite Chemmart Myer Centre

“…… Our pharmacy is geographically very remote, so it is important that we act proactively to have these medications available on-site at all times for when they are needed……It can take up to 2 weeks for us to receive certain medications from our wholesalers…

……Being involved with palliPHARM has improved our relationship with the local healthcare team – it shows that the pharmacy is willing to make changes to benefit our patients………”

Carli Berrill (B.Pharm) and Caitlin Davies (BPharm)
Managing Partners at Thursday Island Pharmacy

Queensland Health in collaboration with PSA and Primary Health Networks (PHNs) have conducted two-hour ‘palliPHARM – Palliative Care and Anticipatory Medicines’ accredited workshops throughout Queensland from October 2020 to April 2021. The workshops were presented by Palliative Care Doctors (Prof Liz Reymond and Dr Leyton Miller) and pharmacist (Elisha Noone) from Brisbane South Palliative Care Collaborative, Metro South Palliative Care Services. These workshops were intended for both pharmacist and general practitioners to attend.

Live workshops have now concluded for 2021. However, pharmacists can view a recording of the workshop online and still attain CPD-credits.

Webinar Recording

Prior to viewing the recorded webinar, pharmacists are encouraged to undertake the PSA Palliative Care Essential CPE, supported by the New South Wales Government with an unrestricted education grant and available free of charge to both PSA members and non-members. This will provide pharmacists with a comprehensive overview of palliative care, including strategies to communicate effectively with people and caregivers about palliative care and their medicines management plan.

View recording of the workshop online via the following link:

palliPHARM recorded webinar

Australian Pharmaceutical Formulary and Handbook – APF24  (Requires textbook or subscription)

Text: Section C Therapeutic Management: Palliative Care, pages 213 – 216

Digital: Section C Therapeutic Management / Palliative Care
Access at: https://www.psa.org.au/media-publications/australian-pharmaceutical-formulary/ 

Australian Pharmacist articles

• What role do pharmacists play in palliative care? – June 2020
• Deprescribing in the Elderly – September 2018
• Pharmacists supporting patients with palliative care needs – November 2017
• Systemic Corticosteroids for Dyspnoea – April 2019
• Pancreatic cancer: a deadly disease in the elderly – September 2017
• Pondering aged care – September 2017

Palliative Care

• PalAssist Symptom specific Factsheet series – PalAssist has created a series of factsheets providing patients and their carers with information about specific symptoms experienced toward the end of life. These are available for hardcopy order and download
• What is palliative care? (PCA) Brochure
• Palliative Care Medicines (palliPHARM) Factsheet – An information sheet about palliative care medicines for people receiving palliative care and their families
• Storing your palliative care medicines safely (palliPHARM) Factsheet – An information sheet about safe storage of palliative care medicines for people receiving palliative care and their families
• Disposing of your palliative care medicines safely (palliPHARM) Factsheet – An information sheet about safe disposal of palliative care medicines for people receiving palliative care and their families
• Information for family and carers – Providing care for a person with a life-limiting illness (care at end of life) Booklet
• Family/carer information regarding medications in the last days of life (CEC NSW) Factsheet
• Understanding care at end of life (care at end of life) Brochure
• The dying process (PCA) Factsheet
• Palliative Caring – Information for families and carers who are caring for an older person with a life-limiting illness in Queensland (Palliative Care Queensland) Booklet

Advance Care Planning

• My Care My Choices Brochure
• My Care My Choices (other languages) Brochure
• Enduring Power of Attorney Factsheet
• Advance Health Directive Factsheet
• Statutory Health Attorney Factsheet
• Statement of choices Form – Focuses on a person’s wishes and choices for heath care into the future

Grief and Bereavement

• Understanding grief (PCA) Factsheet
• Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement
• My Grief app – This Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement app provides information, tools and resources to support bereaved people and also provides practical strategies for families and friends on how best to support someone in the midst of their bereavement
• Bereavement support – The Care at End of Life project team has developed a range of resources to provide support and direction for people who are bereaved. The bereavement resources provide useful information about preparing for the end of life of an adult family member or friend; what to do after someone dies; grief and loss; caring for self and others; a checklist of suggested tasks; and a comprehensive list of support services.

Useful websites for carers

• carerhelp – A website that provides support to those who care for someone who is dying. COVID-19 resources also available for carers via this website
• PalliCHAT – A Palliative Care Queensland program that supports people with life-limiting conditions in the community
• My Care, My Choices – is a Queensland Government advance planning initiative. The website hosts a plethora of information related to advance care planning
• PalAssist – a 24 hour accessible online and telephone service that is free for anyone who has a life limiting illness or condition, and/or their families and carers (subject to any costs that may be imposed by a caller’s telephone service provider for 1800 number calls).
• Last Aid – is a 4-hour intetnational standardised introductory level community training program for community members (not for health professionals)

Conversation Tools

• Dying to Talk Discussion Starters – A tool used to guide you through how to start conversations about planning ahead

Email: pallipharm@health.qld.gov.au

Website: www.psa.org.au/pallipharm