Researchers from Massey University have received funding to investigate what a community-focused palliative care service model could look like in New Zealand.
The Health Research Council has awarded a $30,000 research activation to Senior Lecturer of Occupational Health and Safety Dr Ravi Reddy and his team.
Dr Reddy says he is excited to begin his research and share the results of his studies.
“Receiving this award is a huge honour and it’s a great opportunity to reevaluate how we look at palliative care in Aotearoa.”
Palliative care service delivery is aimed at improving the quality of life of individuals with life-limiting illnesses. Traditional palliative care delivery models tend to focus on hospital and hospice providers that may also offer community-based programs.
Dr Reddy says that while advocacy for community-based palliative care models have gained support over the years, it has not been widely incorporated into existing models of care.
“This is still quite a different way of thinking about palliative care and we’re really excited to be looking into this.”
Working on this 12-month project alongside Dr Reddy is Dr Bevan Erueti and Dr Geoff Kira from the School of Health Sciences.
The researchers are working with Hospice West Auckland to help them develop community relationships, conduct needs assessment and set research priorities.
Hospice West Auckland is a registered charitable trust founded in 1985 to provide support and specialist palliative care services to West Aucklandersexperiencing a terminal or life-limiting illness.
Dr Ravi says they’re excited to be working alongside an organisation that is committed to improving its care model by exploring feasible and sustainable community-based services.