Palliative care
Palliative care is a special type of care for a person who is terminally ill and approaching the end of their life.
Territory Palliative Care (TPC) services
TPC provides palliative care services to the Northern Territory (NT) based in:
- Darwin - Top End
- Alice Springs - Central Australia.
Care is provided to inpatients and outpatients who have a life limiting diagnosis in hospitals, hospice or the community.
Patient care
Palliative care neither hastens nor prolongs death.
The aim is to affirm your life and view dying as a natural process while considering your choices, preferences and setting of care with cultural sensitivity.
The goal is to provide you relief from pain and distressing symptoms as well as care for your psychological, emotional and spiritual needs.
Support is provided to help maximise your quality of life and support your family during your illness and in bereavement.
Community support
- Family members or friends who care for you can get support from CarersNT.
- Learn about end of life and what you can do for yourself or the person you care for on the CareSearch Community website.
- Find resources and information about palliative care on the Palliative Care Australia website.
- Support with understanding the experience of grief on the Grief Australia website.
Resources
- Start an advance care plan - this allows you to make decisions now about the care you would or would not like to receive if you were unable to communicate your wishes in illness.
- Review or make a will - a will is the only way to make sure your money, property and personal belongings go to the people who you want to receive them after your death.
Contact TPC in the Top End
Top End Territory Palliative Care is based at the standalone hospice unit located on the campus of Royal Darwin Hospital.
The team services Darwin urban, East Arnhem and the Big Rivers region and includes specialist medical, nursing, occupational therapy, social work, physiotherapy and spiritual care practitioners providing:
- inpatient consulting services
- advice to healthcare professionals managing patients in Top End hospitals
- outpatient services and clinics.
Standalone hospice unit
The 12-bed standalone hospice unit is located at the Royal Darwin Hospital campus.
Referrals to other teams including access to psychologists and psychiatrists is provided where appropriate.
Location and contact
Rocklands Drive
Casuarina NT 0810
PO Box 41326
Casuarina NT 0811
Phone: 08 8922 7962
Fax: 08 8922 7977
Contact TPC in Central Australia
The Territory Palliative Care Central Australia operates from the palliative care facility, a 10-bed stand-alone unit within the Alice Springs Hospital campus. The service provides:
- inpatient and outpatient support to aged-care facilities and
- patients at home in rural and remote areas.
TPC services work closely with a variety of health care professionals to provide the best care possible.
Location and contact
Alice Springs Hospital
Entrance on Simpson Street
Alice Springs NT 0870
PO Box 721
Alice Springs NT 0871
Phone: 08 8951 9198