Below are the links for the application form and instructions on how to complete the form and the ESAS (Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale) form that must accompany the application.
Program
Community palliative care services can access a capped funding source to assist with the provision of non-core palliative care services for clients with motor neurone disease (MND) to improve or maintain the quality of life for this client group. This funding is a result of the Motor Neurone Disease and Palliative Care Pathways Project and subsequent Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) support for the program and its recommendations.
The treatment of the person living with MND must not be dependent on the service receiving any top up funding. If the application for top up funding is not successful, the person living with MND must still receive the normal and expected care and access to all services appropriate to their condition and situation. This funding is an adjunct to existing funding and does not represent a dedicated funding stream for the provision of care to people living with MND.
Up to $2,000 is available to community palliative care services per year per person with MND when specific eligibility criteria are met. The funding level was determined using historical data about number of people accessing community palliative care and divided by the total funding. The purpose of the funding is to ensure people living with MND can access programs at community palliative care services for the duration of their episode of care, which may be considerably longer than people with malignant or other conditions. The funding should be used to facilitate access to activities and programs that focus on quality of life (such as music therapy, social interaction, spiritual care etc) rather than the delivery of core nursing or medical services for symptom relief.
Rationale
The average length of stay of people living with MND is longer than for many other people accessing community palliative care services. In addition, the range of services that are required for people with MND are often different. For example, there are often fewer nursing visits for people with MND compared to many people with malignant conditions. The top up funding is provided to community palliative care services so that the few people with MND are able to access community palliative care programs and services for an extended period of time at an appropriate frequency that may not always be possible due to a long length of stay.
The needs of people living with MND that are able to be met by community palliative care services include 'quality of life activities'. Activities such as massage therapy, music and art therapy and access to programs such as the biography service and pastoral or spiritual care services would be deemed as quality of life activities.