St Andrew's Toowoomba Hospital has a 7 bed  Palliative Care Unit which offers specialised treatment to patients from Toowoomba and parts of rural Queensland and northern NSW who require support, treatment and empathy during progressive illness.

Goals are achieved by ensuring:

• prompt and adequate relief from pain by using current methods/medications specific to the patients needs.

• all needs of the patient are met including physical, psychological, social and spiritual.

• families and loved ones are kept informed about treatment and disease process.

• professional approach to palliative care by specially trained staff.

• the opportunity for grief counseling for family/friends when the need arises.

Our Palliative Care Unit offers an atmosphere that encourages relief, relaxation and understanding.

All rooms are furnished to meet the needs of the patient and family. Larger rooms contain alternative sleeping sofas for overnight stay. Rooms are furnished with individuality and provision is made for memorabilia to be displayed.

Relaxation tapes, aromatherapy and massage are available and encouraged. A communal room is available for families to gather, vent feelings and receive counsel.

Australian legislation requires doctors to complete a form called an 'Acute Care Certificate' for patients when their length of stay in an 'acute care hospital' such as St Andrew's Toowoomba Hospital reaches 35 days. By completing this certificate, the doctor is confirming to the private health fund that patients still require the services of an acute care hospital rather than alternative, less acute, options such as a nursing home, rehabilitation unit or hospice. It is important that palliative care patients are aware that if their doctor does not complete an acute care certificate on their behalf, a patient's private health insurance would not cover the full cost of their accomodation at St Andrew's Toowoomba Hospital. In this case a patient would be required to pay the difference between the health fund contribution and the hospital daily bed fee. Consideration of alternative care may be required at this time.