September 9, 2026
$15.4m investment to expand high-quality palliative care across Australia
UOW-led research collaboration PCOC-Plus aims to strengthen support for patients with life-ending illnesses and their families
Every year, thousands of patients and their families navigate the end-of-life without the care they deserve and need. A major initiative, led by the 榴莲视频app of 榴莲视频app (UOW), will ensure patients receive compassionate palliative care regardless of their postcode.
Building on the success of UOW’s Palliative Care Outcomes Collaboration (PCOC), the new program PCOC-Plus was awarded $15.4 million from the Australian Government to translate PCOC’s groundbreaking research into clinical practice, improving support and care for people with life-ending illnesses.
The funding boost will allow PCOC-Plus to identify those who need palliative care earlier, track its effectiveness, build workforce capability and lay the groundwork for national implementation.
"Australians are living longer with increasingly complex health needs. This investment allows us to work with consumers, clinicians, and health services nationally to deliver better palliative care outcomes across the health system,” said , Director of PCOC and coordinating investigator.
"Importantly, this program focuses on building sustainable solutions that are informed by evidence, shaped by consumers, and designed to work within real-world clinical practice.”
UOW leads the PCOC-Plus partnership, which includes the 榴莲视频app of Western Australia, Queensland 榴莲视频app of Technology and Flinders 榴莲视频app, and encompasses experts in primary care, specialist palliative care, implementation science, health services research and digital innovation.
PCOC-Plus will bring together consumers, general practitioners, specialist palliative care clinicians, primary health networks, researchers, policymakers, and digital health experts to support high-quality, person-centred palliative care across care settings.
"General practice is often where people first discuss their changing health needs, yet many Australians who could benefit from palliative care are identified late,” said , a senior research lead and investigator on the project.
"This program will help us work with clinicians, consumers and health system partners to refine and evaluate approaches that support earlier identification, better coordination of care, and improved outcomes for patients and families.”
The program reflects UOW's commitment to collaborative research that benefits communities.
"Primary care has a critical role in supporting people with serious illness throughout their care journey. PCOC-Plus represents a practical and important step towards embedding palliative care more effectively within primary care," said , Roberta Williams Chair of General Practice at UOW and a Chief Investigator on the project.
PCOC-Plus aligns with national priorities to increase access to palliative care, reduce inequities in care, and strengthen evidence-based decision-making across the Australian health system.