Researchers from the Menzies Centre for Health Policy have recently published a report on the Calvary Health Care Bethlehem Model of Specialist Palliative Care. The Menzies Centre for Health Policy was commissioned by Calvary Health Care Bethlehem (CHCB), Caulfield, Melbourne to describe their specialist palliative care service, with emphasis on the experiences of patients, carers and health care professionals (HCPs). CHCB, a service of Little Company of Mary Health Care (LCMHC), is a public, level 3 specialist provider of inpatient and community-based palliative care services for people residing in the Inner South East area of Melbourne, covering five Local Government Areas.
The study is a prospective, mixed-method study that describes the CHCB model of specialist palliative care from four perspectives – that of the patient, their nominated carer, nominated health care professional (HCP) and the team at CHCB. This multi perspective approach is new in the Australian context. The descriptive analysis details a model of specialist palliative care and highlights several key features of the model, which provides flexible, integrated care to maintain and enhance the quality of life of patients and their carers and families.
