ANZSPM Aotearoa Conference 2015
Hi everyone,
Last Saturday morning I had an early start, making my way to the airport in order to fly down to Wellington for the annual ANZSPM (Australia New Zealand Society of Palliative Medicine) Aotearoa (Kiwi branch) conference. A great chance for NZ Palliative Care doctors to catch up with each other, share hugs and teach each other new things. Continue reading
Following up from Michael’s post a few days ago about palliative medicine training jobs, here are a few more useful links for Palliverse readers thinking about enhancing their medical careers through further training in palliative medicine:
I couldn’t find much stuff online about palliative medicine training in New Zealand, Western Australia or Tasmania. If you know of any good resources on these topics, please share them with the rest of the Palliverse community! Thanks in advance 🙂
Do you like technology? Innovation? Palliative care? Research? Why, these things are what @palliverse is all about – and why you/we are here in the first place!
Guess what? These things are exactly what the #MyPal podcasts from @amaranwosu are all about as well. How about that!
Check it out here and also on iTunes. Be amazed. Happy listening!
I’ve been asked how I have time to find and read so many palliative care articles, both in academic journals and the lay press (the type of thing that ends up in Elsewhere in the Palliverse posts). Is my nose constantly pressed up to a screen? Definitely not. Below I will share a few tips on how to read more efficiently using free social media tools and apps. Continue reading
How would you choose to live, if you were diagnosed with a life-threatening illness?
What are the most important things in your life? What can’t you live without?
Pal and Carey – #NPCW15 mascots #dyingtotalk
The theme of National Palliative Care Week (24-30th May) this year is “Dying to talk; talking about dying won’t kill you”. In fact, talking about how you want to live and die can be empowering and bring you closer to those who matter most to you. On the other hand, not talking about it can lead to regret – both for you but also for those you leave behind.
As part of National Palliative Care Week, the Palliative Care Service at Alfred Health hosted a public forum on Monday, discussing the topic: “The Top Five Regrets of the Dying”, based on a book by Australian palliative care nurse Bronnie Ware.
Here is a collection of posters from the recent Asia Pacific Hospice Conference in Taipei – primarily by researchers and clinicians from Australia and New Zealand. Enjoy!
Over 1300 delegates from the Asia-Pacific region and beyond congregated in the Taipei International Conference Centre at the beginning of May for the 11th Asia Pacific Hospice Conference (APHC). With a theme of “Transforming Palliative Care”, there was a particular focus on public health and the development of palliative care in countries where it is not yet well established. It was wonderful to meet clinicians, policymakers, teachers and researchers from near and far – from China to the Philippines, Mongolia to Saudi Arabia, Argentina and the United Kingdom – and discuss shared problems and discover new ways of doing things!
(Jacaranda tree in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney)
A comprehensive review of Medicare was announced this week, which has the potential to significantly impact how healthcare is delivered in Australia. Opinions abound (a small sample here, here, here, and here) but details are scarce. This announcement is timely, with the release of Australian Medical Association’s annual report card on public hospital services last week (reactions here and here) and the upcoming launch of Choosing Wisely Australia on April 29th (more on this here, here and here).
Also this week, Queensland and Victoria joined New South Wales in conducting clinical trials on the use medicinal cannabis (other reports here, here and here). Information about the trial and law reform process can be found here, here and here. Palliative Care Australia has also provided a submission.
Other reads:
Finally, it’s ANZAC Day: Lest we forget.
(Another beautiful day in Apollo Bay)
Conversations that Count Day took place across New Zealand this week (on April 16th). Read a selection of the various conversations and discussions generated around this event here, here, here, here, here and here.
At the same time, the US National Healthcare Decision Day promoted similar conversations across the pacific. An excellent collection of resources from Pallimed can be found here.
The Victorian Auditor-General’s Office released its report on the provision of palliative care services in the state this week. It’s findings and recommendations are both heartening and worrying. Mainstream and palliative care media responses can be found here and here.
The Australian Medical Association also released its position statement on Palliative Approach in Residential Aged Care Facilities earlier this week.
Many of us love a great TED talk. Haven’t heard of them? Or simply looking for a few more to feed your addiction? Check out this playlist on “New ways to think about death”.
A few reflective pieces to fill your head and heart this weekend:
And finally, here’s another plug for our new fellow survey.
Have a lovely weekend everyone!
palliverse.com 