Palliative‑care hospitalisations have risen 46 per cent in a decade

Australia’s use of palliative care services has continued to rise sharply, with national data showing hospital‑based palliative care has increased by 46 per cent over the past decade as the population ages and care needs become more complex.

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) findings reveal a system under growing pressure but also one delivering more services across hospitals, outpatient clinics and Medicare‑subsidised specialist care.

The report, Palliative care services in Australia, shows that palliative care is now a central component of the health system.

“Palliative care supports people and their families at some of the most vulnerable moments in their lives,” AIHW spokesperson Dinesh Indraharan said.

In 2024–25, around 15,900 people received Medicare‑subsidised palliative medicine attendances and case conferences, totalling more than 78,000 services nationwide. Almost 80 per cent of those receiving specialist services were aged 65 or older, reflecting the demographic shift that is driving demand.

Hospital activity has risen steadily, with palliative‑care related hospitalisations climbing 46 per cent between 2015–16 and 2023–24. Public hospitals that reported data spent $666.7 million on admitted patient palliative care in 2023–24, representing 16 per cent of all subacute care costs.

A further $218.9 million was spent on non‑admitted palliative care, almost double the amount recorded in 2019–20 as outpatient and community‑based care expands.

Medication use also highlights the growing complexity of care. In 2024–25, 1.6 million palliative‑care related prescriptions were dispensed to about 488,000 people, with pain relief medicines accounting for 80 per cent of all scripts.

While the number of people receiving medications has remained relatively stable, people are getting more prescriptions filled.

“Pain management is central to quality palliative care,” Mr Indraharan said.

“While the number of people receiving palliative care-related medications has remained relatively stable over time with only a modest decrease in the past year, the number of prescriptions per person has increased, suggesting a rising complexity of care needs.”

Most specialist palliative care services were delivered in consulting rooms or hospitals, with about 12 per cent provided through case conferences. The AIHW notes that these figures do not capture non‑specialist or community‑based palliative care, meaning the true scale of service delivery is likely higher.

The AIHW also released updated data for the National Palliative Care Strategy, assessing progress against national objectives. Most measures have improved or remained stable since 2018, including indicators related to timely care and workforce capacity.

However, significant gaps remain. The report highlights limited or no national data on a number of measures.

“A full national picture of palliative care quality and equity is still emerging, with limited or no national data currently available for measures such as cultural safety, advance care planning, preferred place of death and the proportion of people who receive palliative care when needed,” Mr Indraharan said.