Benalla Health Community Palliative Care

Referrals via https://referral.benalla.hume.pal.care/

Benalla Health Community Palliative Care provides free support at home for you, family members and carers if you are living with a (cancer or non-cancer) life-limiting illness. Our goal is to help you feel as comfortable as possible, support your choices, and help you live well in your own home for as long as you can.

Who is eligible for the service?

Our home-based service provides care to people with a life-limiting illness who:

• need specialist palliative support
• live within Benalla and Mansfield shires and parts of Strathbogie Shire# (see below).

What support do we provide?

Our specialist palliative care team can support you with:

• Understanding your illness and what to expect, including end-of-life care guidance
• Managing your pain and other symptoms
• Emotional support for you and your family and carers, including bereavement care
• Palliative care coordination, consultation advice, and referral support
• Specialist afterhours phone advice via St Vincent’s Charitas Christi Hospice.

To ensure your palliative care needs are met, we work closely with your healthcare team e.g. General Practitioner (GP), Medical Specialists, District Nurses and other health services.

Who is your local Team?

Benalla Health’s small local specialist team is made up of:

• Nurses who have specialist palliative care skills and knowledge
• A skilled Loss and Grief Coordinator
• Allied Health support, especially Occupational Therapy.

The team is further supported by these Specialist Palliative Care Consultants:

• East Hume Palliative Care Consultancy Service at Albury Wodonga Health
• Goulburn Region Palliative Care Consultancy at GV Health, and
• St Vincents Health Melbourne.

Cost?

Community Palliative Care is a free service.

Why are written Advance Care Plans important? 

Your quality and end-of-life wishes matter. Having these in writing assists healthcare workers and key supports, especially if you became unable to make or voice your wishes.

To find out more visit www.advancecareplanning.org.au

How to Access Our Service?

You can refer yourself or, with your permission, someone else can refer you.

Refer via the Hume Palliative Care portal link: https://referral.benalla.hume.pal.care/.

After we receive your referral, we will contact you to accept or re-direct this. If accepted we will arrange a time to meet and get permission to contact your healthcare team.

#Eligible residential postcodes: 3523, 3608, 3610, 3612, 3631, 3646, 3663, 3664, 3665, 3666, 3669, 3670, 3672, 3673, 3675, 3678, 3713, 3715, 3719, 3720, 3722, 3723, 3725, 3726, 3727, 3732.

Useful Links

Palliative Care Australia: www.palliativecare.org.au
Palliative Care Victoria: www.pallcarevic.asn.au
Victorian Palliative Care Advice Service: www.pcas.org.au
Cancer Council: https://www.cancer.org.au/
Better Health Channel, e.g.:

• www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/servicesandsupport/end-of-life-and-palliative-care-explained
• www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/servicesandsupport/Palliative-care-dealing-with-common-symptoms#pain

Grief Australia: www.grief.org.au
Lifeline Australia: Ph13 11 14 - Text 0477 13 11 14 - Website https://www.lifeline.org.au
Advance Care Planning Australia: www.advancecareplanning.org.au

Contact details

For more information contact us on Ph: (03) 5761 4500.