Resources for pharmacists

Resources and support

Advice and support

• PallConsult: a Queensland Health 24/7 palliative care advice hotline | 1300 PALLDR (1300 725 537) for pharmacists.
• Children’s Health Queensland Pharmacy: 07 3068 1900 | voicemail service 07 3068 1993.
• Older Persons Emergency Network (OPEN): Metro North ED substitution service for older people. Available for consultation 8.00 am-8.00 pm, 7 days, 1300 072 327.
• PalAssist: able to direct and support pharmacist to find local resources and information 7.00 am-7.00 pm, 7 days a week.
• Brisbane North PHN Palliative Care Project Team: can help local pharmacies connect with services and supports if unsure where to go (for non-time critical enquiries).
• Pharmacist Support Service: non palliative specific support service for pharmacists by pharmacists 8.00 am to 11.00 pm, 7 days, 1300 244 190.

Medication management

• Community-based Palliative Care Anticipatory Medicines: Guidance for Queensland: guide for management of medicines in the last phase of life.
• palliMEDs: a medication app for primary care prescribers.
• National Core Community Palliative Care Medicines List: a list of the core palliative medicines for home-based patients in Australia.
• Core Palliative Care Medicines for Queensland Community Patients: palliPHARM factsheet: a list of the core palliative medicines list for Queensland community patients.
• List of Palliative Friendly Pharmacies: pharmacies in the Brisbane North and Moreton Bay region who have pledged to stock the National Core Palliative Medicines: listed on the National Palliative Care Services Directory.
• Caring@home project: project providing nationally consistent, practical and evidence-based clinical resources and education on symptom management.
• Credentialed pharmacist directory: locate a credentialed pharmacists to conduct Home Medicines Reviews
• Conserving oral opioid medicines: Strategies and safety considerations- guidance for pharmacists from Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care

Access to patient information

• Health Provider Portal: external access by AHPRA registered professionals to Queensland Health patient information system (aka the Viewer).
• My Health Record: national digital e-health record.

Practice guidelines

• Community-based Palliative Care Anticipatory Medicines: Guidance for Queensland
• HealthPathways: region specific portal with evidence-based information on the assessment and management of common clinical conditions.
• Therapeutic Guidelines: Palliative Care
• National Palliative Care Standards for All Health Professionals and Aged Care Services
• Sad News Sorry Business: Guidelines for caring for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through death and dying
• A Practical Guide to Palliative Care in Paediatrics (the green book)
• Guidelines for the handling of palliative care medicines in community services
• Queensland Health Advance Care Planning Clinical Guidelines

Reliable information sources

• CareSearch: the Australian Government supported central repository for palliative care information.
• Paediatric Palliative Care: an Australian Government supported website for paediatric palliative care information.

Information for patients

• Palliative care supports for Adults in the Brisbane North PHN region: a PHN handout for patients and their loved one.
• PalAssist: free support service for people with life limiting conditions and their loved ones (resources, support, counselling)
• Caring@home information sheets
  • Managing subcutaneous medicines factsheets
  • Managing physical symptoms tip sheets
  • Recognising dying tip sheets
  • Understanding infusion devices factsheets
  • Providing practical care step-by-step guides
• CareSearch: the Australian Government supported central repository for palliative care information.
• Resources for people with life limiting conditions, their loved ones, and the wider community (Brisbane North PHN)
• How your local Pharmacist and Pharmacy can support you (CarerHelp)

Palliative Friendly Pharmacies

• List of Palliative Friendly Pharmacies: pharmacies in the Brisbane North and Moreton Bay region who have pledged to stock the National Core PalliativeMedicines: listed on the National Palliative Care Services Directory.
• Become a Palliative Friendly Pharmacy
  • Commitment Statement (online or download)
  • Checklist

Apps

• Caring@Home: to assist health professionals supporting families, carers and patients with quick and easy access to resources to help manage end-of-life symptoms for a person who chooses to be cared for at home.
• Caring@Home- Indigenous: to assist health professionals supporting First Nation families, carers and patients with quick and easy access to resources to help manage end-of-life symptoms for a person who chooses to be cared for at home.
• palliMEDs: a medication app for primary care prescribers.

Education

Pharmacist specific

• Essential CPE: Palliative Care: Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (Free)
• Palliative Care in Pharmacist Foundation Training program (coming 2025)
• Palliative Care in Community Pharmacy Education Day videos and resources
• Supporting people with their grief and bereavement: Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (Free)

General and multidisciplinary education

• Palliative Care ECHO: series of interactive case based virtual mentoring sessions that address a range of palliative care topics.
• Program of Experience in the Palliative Approach (PEPA) and Indigenous Program of Experience in the Palliative Approach (IPEPA): placements and education.
• PCC4U Health Professional CPD
• ELDAC (End of Life Directions for Aged Care)
• Advance Care Planning information for health professionals from State-wide office of Advance Care Planning.
• End of Life Law for Clinicians
• Gwandalan: project to provide education and resources to help professionals support palliative care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Where to find upcoming education and events

• Brisbane North PHN Events Calendar
• Centre for Palliative Care Research and Education: statewide service based at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital

Special Interest Groups

• Brisbane North Community Palliative Care Collaborative: a cross-sector group of interested stakeholders meeting every 6 weeks to improve palliative care in the North Brisbane and Moreton Bay region.
• Statewide Palliative Care Clinical Network
• Palliative Care ECHO: series of interactive, case-based, multidisciplinary, virtual mentoring sessions that address a range of palliative care topics.

Specialist palliative care services

• Specialist Palliative Care Services for Adults in Brisbane North PHN region: summary document showing services, referral criteria, referral process and contact information.

Palliative care for specific populations

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
• Aged Care
• People with disability
• Children and young people
• People from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
• People who identify as LGBTQIA+

Help develop this resource

Brisbane North PHN want to hear from pharmacists in the North Brisbane and Moreton Bay region. Please share your feedback at community.care@brisbanenorthphn.org.au.