Service Contact Details

Wimmera Cancer Centre, incorporating Palliative Care and Dialysis                                                                                                                   

CNR Robinson Street and Arnott Street, Horsham 3400 VIC

Tel: 03 5381 9363    

E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Service Description / Overview

Wimmera Palliative Care Serivce is a community palliative care service that supports people living with life limiting illnesses, who have complex symptoms, and their families and carers. Our team supports patients at home, in aged care facilities and while in hospital. The Wimmera Palliative Care team works with the patient's local doctors, nurses and allied health care team to provide care.

Palliative Care / Hospice Care is about:

  • Treating symptoms and making patients comfortable when cure is not possible or is unlikely
  • Supporting patients to have the best quality of life possible
  • Supporting family and carers during the patient's illness and during bereavement if required
  • Helping with not just the physical problems, but the emotional, spiritual, and social issues that may happen as a result of illness

Wimmera palliative care nurses help with managing symptoms and co-ordinating care. The team is supported by a palliative care nurse practitioner. Our nurses work as a team and it is likely that patients will meet everyone whilst involved with the service.

Specialist palliative care doctors, from Ballarat, visit patients in the Wimmera and are available to support local doctors as well as the palliative care nurses.

A range of equipment is available free of charge to patients and carers.

Education

Nurses provide education sessions to:

  • Patients, families and carers
  • Health care professionals
  • Community groups

  Education for health professionals is also available through the Grampians Regional Palliative Care Team in Ballarat.

Bereavement/Counselling Support

A bereavement support program is offered to families and carers. Funding can be made available for specialist bereavement counselling if necessary.

Wimmera Hospice Care Brochure

Advanced Care Planning Australia

Fees

There is no cost to patients for visits by Wimmera palliative care nurses or the palliative care specialist doctor. There may be fees for educational sessions to professional organisations.

Area Serviced

Wimmera Palliative Care services the local government areas of Yarriambiack, Hindmarsh, West Wimmera and the Rural City of Horsham and Dsitrict (37,000 square kilometres).

Eligibility

The service is available to any person living with a life limiting illness, who have sypmtoms that are difficult to manage, and their families. Referrals are accepted from patients, family members/carers and health professionals (providing consent is given by the patient or legal representative).

Waiting List

Visits are triaged for urgency and will be made as soon as possible following referral.

Further Information

More information about palliative care in the Grampians region is available from www.grampianspalliativecare.com.au.