History

The Goulburn Valley Hospice Care Service Inc. (GVHCS) began in May 1989 to meet the needs, at home (where that is desired and is medically appropriate), of terminally ill patients and to support and assist their family and friends during illness, death and bereavement.

Its origins are truly “grass roots” having been started by a group comprising nurses, doctors and lay people who perceived that specialist palliative care services were not available and terminally ill patients were being inappropriately admitted to acute hospital beds. Symptoms were not adequately managed and there was very little grief and bereavement support available to patient, family or carer.

The Service was initially established upon a $65,000 grant from the Victorian Department of Human Services (DHS) and the support of local individuals and community groups.

The Service quickly established a reputation for providing quality professional palliative care to patients and their families, but the demand for the service exceeded the resources of the initial sole nurse. Further funding was not available through DHS. This chronic shortage of Government funds could have severely limited the scope of the service, but the remarkably successful efforts of the Committee of Management to raise funds from a very generous community enabled the Service to survive and flourish.

Funding improved in the year 2000 with the negotiation of a Service Agreement with DHS to provide a home based palliative care service to the Local Government Area (LGA) of the City of Greater Shepparton (COGS). The funding is equitable with that provided across Victoria and forms a solid base from which to work, but the norm in Victoria is an “in hours” service provided by community nurses guided and advised by nurses with specialist knowledge and qualifications. At GVHCS we provide 24 hours a day, seven days a week service by nurses with specialist knowledge and qualifications, backed up with specialist medical and pastoral advice and supported by a network of volunteers and support services. In addition we have extended bereavement support and counselling and have leased access to respite facilities at Ave Maria Village. Obviously, all of this is much more expensive than the norm and that is why we continue to need to raise funds. We do this with our Opportunity Shop, through donations, the activities of our “Friends of Hospice”, sponsored bike rides, car rallies, bequests and by all legal means imaginable!

In 2005 DHS announced a plan to “Strengthen Palliative Care in Victoria”. Currently (2010) this plan is being revised, GVHCS is actively involved in this plan. As a result of the plan we are providing consultative services in parts of Moira, Mitchell and Strathbogie Shires. We are being funded for this.

But the best part of “the Plan” is that GVHCS is encouraged to continue our established model of care. To do this today we utilise the skills of seven almost full time nurses, a part-time bereavement counsellor and two administrative staff. They are supported and assisted by 21 trained Palliative Care Volunteers. That “front line staff’ is supported financially by 18 voluntary “Friends of Hospice” and staff of the Opportunity Shop where there are three job-sharing paid staff and 35 volunteers. Part of the paid staffs’ responsibilities is towards “Work for the Dole Scheme” personnel whom they train and people from the Justice Department’s “Community Service” section whom they supervise. The whole organisation is the responsibility of a voluntary Committee of Management.

So it is easy to understand that our essential nursing staff are at the tip of a pyramid which has a very wide base. The width of the base secures our place within the community and the sharpness of the point allows optimal and efficient care for our patients and their families. Our nurses provide symptom relief at home and support the grieving family in their care by means of encouragement and instruction. They coordinate all the services which the patient may require, including hospital visits, oncology, chemotherapy, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, doctors’ visits and pastoral and bereavement care.

SHEPPARTON. JANUARY 2010