A huge boost for palliative care services in Orange has been announced with campaigners delighted by the news.
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On August 4, the NSW Government revealed it had committed $93 million to redevelop and refurbish palliative care units throughout the state. This would include new and expanded units at Westmead, Nepean, Wyong, Tamworth and Orange hospitals.
Jenny Hazelton is the Orange Push for Palliative president and said this announcement meant the number of end-of-life beds at the hospital would rise from two to five.
"We see it as a very significant milestone," she said.
"We're greatly encouraged by the direction the new government and the ministry of health is taking towards palliative care."
Minister for Health Ryan Park said community input into the design process would be crucial in ensuring the new unit met the needs of the community.
![Orange Push for Palliative president Jenny Hazelton was delighted by the news Orange Hospital would be getting three new end-of-life care beds. Picture by Jude Keogh Orange Push for Palliative president Jenny Hazelton was delighted by the news Orange Hospital would be getting three new end-of-life care beds. Picture by Jude Keogh](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/YN4FA67iw2pXwXjwm2vmnJ/7a819731-1aa0-42a7-83d6-99baad959a3e.JPG/r0_605_8256_5265_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"The NSW Government is committed to ensuring people with a life-limiting illness receive the highest quality end-of-life care, to provide peace of mind to patients, families and carers when they need it most," Mr Park said.
"As well as featuring the latest technology and equipment, the new Palliative Care Units will provide a comfortable and home like setting to deliver the very best clinical care and emotional support."
This included the campaign group's desire to see a standalone hospice built in the city, with a preferred site previously identified at the back of the Bloomfield cricket oval.
"We're not losing sight of the hospice, but we've got to crawl before we can walk," she said.
"We want to build a sustainable model for hospice that will endure. We needed to have NSW Health buy-in and we've got that with the five beds."
The Wyong, Nepean and Westmead palliative care units are scheduled to complete master planning in September and will be "shortly followed" by Orange and Tamworth, with all five sites scheduled to commence construction in 2024.
The bottom line for Ms Hazelton was that in the past four years, the city will have gone from zero designated palliative care beds to five.
"This is one very significant milestone to ensure the sustainability of end of life care in Orange, but it is a very significant step towards attainment of a hospice which is sustainable in our community," she added.
The $93 million allocated for new and redevelopment of palliative care facilities is part of the 2022-23 budget providing funding over five years (2022-23 to 2026-27) for NSW Health to deliver end of life and palliative care service enhancements across the state.
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