National Palliative Care Week 2026 takes place from 10-16 May, providing an opportunity to reflect on the importance of palliative care and to strengthen understanding across the health system. 

This year’s theme, Getting to the heart of it: Big Questions. Real Answers, empowers earlier conversations and connecting people to trusted information, tools and support. Find more information, resources, and learning opportunities below.

COORDINARE resources and support

Supporting people to live well

This National Palliative Care Week, we are recognising the importance of timely, compassionate and coordinated palliative care for people across South Eastern NSW.

COORDINARE’s Palliative and End‑of‑Life Care Needs Assessment shows increasing demand in the region, alongside challenges such as late access to care, fragmented services and limited support for carers. Many people also miss the opportunity to plan ahead, with advance care planning conversations often happening too late.

When introduced earlier, palliative care can help people manage symptoms, maintain quality of life, avoid unnecessary hospital visits, and better support families and carers.

The Needs Assessment identifies key priorities for the region, including:

• improving access to care at home and after hours
• supporting a skilled and culturally safe workforce
• encouraging earlier conversations and planning
• designing care with Aboriginal and culturally diverse communities
• strengthening support for carers
• improving coordination between services
• improving data so we better understand local needs.

This week is a reminder that everyone deserves care that respects their values, preferences and choices. By supporting earlier conversations and better coordinated care, we can help ensure people in South Eastern NSW can live well and receive care that reflects what matters most to them. 

Regional Palliative Approach Framework

COORDINARE developed the Regional Palliative Approach Framework (PAF) – a practical, web‑based resource designed to support a consistent and proactive palliative approach across care settings. It is designed for use in general practice, community health and aged care, supporting both clinical decision‑making and conversations with patients and families.

Quality improvement activities

To build workforce capability and support quality improvement, COORDINARE has developed:

• an Advance Care Planning Toolkit for general practice teams to assist patients to navigate the advanced care planning process and support structured, meaningful conversations
• an After Death Audit Quality Improvement Recipe to help practices reflect on care delivery and identify opportunities for improvement.

For support please contact COORDINARE’s Palliative Care Project Coordinator, Jackie Caton at jcaton@coordinare.org.au.

Learning opportunities

National Palliative Care Week Lecture

Health professionals are invited to attend the 2026 National Palliative Care Week Lecture, delivered live from Parliament House and streamed online on Thursday, 14 May at 12.30pm.

The lecture, Rethinking Dementia and End‑of‑Life Care, will be presented by leading palliative care clinician Dr Michael Chapman and will explore contemporary approaches to supporting people living with dementia and their families towards the end of life. Find out more and register here.

Palliative Care NSW Professional Education Day

Health professionals are also encouraged to attend the Palliative Care NSW Professional Education Day on Friday 15 May, with the Sydney program live streamed to Southern NSW LHD regional hubs in Moruya and Queanbeyan.

This free, full day event is designed for professionals working in palliative care, acute care, primary care and aged care, and provides an opportunity to learn from expert speakers, engage with case studies, and connect with colleagues.

This is a great opportunity to hear about advances in palliative care, to learn from case studies, to reconnect with peers, make new connections, and to expand your clinical knowledge to support you to do the work you do.

Southern NSW LHD Regional Hub details

• Moruya Hub: Moruya Hospital – Lower Ground Conference Room | Friday 15 May, 9:00am-3:30pm (AEST)
• Queanbeyan Hub: Queanbeyan Hospital – Level 2 Conference Room | Friday 15 May, 9:00am-3:30pm (AEST)

Places are limited, and early registration is encouraged. Find out more and register here.

Free online grief and bereavement course

The Australian College for Rural and Remote Medicine offers online modules focused on grief and bereavement. GPs and other health professionals in COORDINARE’s catchment can access the course for free using a discount code until 30 June 2026. Find out more and register here.

Help spread the word

Health professionals can access the National Palliative Care Week 2026 Supporter Toolkit, which includes posters, social media tiles and key messages for promotion within practices and networks.

This National Palliative Care Week is a chance to start conversations, raise awareness, and advocate for better access to and acceptance of palliative and end-of-life care. Learn more here.

End of life care, Quality in general practice, Resources,