Palliative care access

https://www.hospice.org.nz/about-hospice-nz/palliative-care-in-new-zealand-is-critically-ill-d-2/

Take control of and actively direct palliative care service provision across New Zealand to reduce the geographical variation in service provision. I suspect a nationwide approach backed up with funding to provide services would be a good start. I also think that engagement with stakeholders and providers would be useful. However, I think there is also a large knowledge gap amongst the general public and amongst professionals as well as senior management as to what exactly palliative services provide (and how this is currently funded) and their role in the greater healthcare sector. It needs informed discussion, decision making and short, medium and long term planning with meaningful cross discipline discussions. (Palliative care receives patients from all specialties and a range of healthcare providers).

There is currently a massive inequity, particularly affecting Māori and Pacifica. I would say a potentially greater disparity here than for most other healthcare services.