Thousands of Australians in rural and remote communities face a stark reality: when the end of life approaches, specialist palliative care is often hundreds of kilometres away.
During this National Palliative Care Week (10-16 May 2026), the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) is drawing attention to a growing workforce gap — and the doctors who are helping to fill it.
ACRRM President Dr Rod Martin says the current model of care isn’t keeping pace with demand.
‘The specialist-based model for palliative care was never designed to reach rural and remote Australia,’ he said.
‘As our population ages, more people are living with conditions that require palliative care, and that gap is only widening.’
Rural generalists
According to the Rural and Remote Institute of Palliative Medicine, more than 80 per cent of specialist palliative medicine physicians are based in major cities, with only a small proportion working in regional and remote areas.
As a result, most palliative care in rural communities is delivered by locally based Rural Generalists.
Equipped through ACRRM Fellowship training and ongoing professional development, Rural Generalists provide care at home, in hospital, in aged care and in hospice settings – often as the primary clinician in their community.
‘These doctors are trusted, they know their patients and their families, and they are close to home,’ said Dr Martin. ‘Rural Generalists are also extending care beyond their own practice – using outreach and telehealth to strengthen local services and support other clinicians.’
Getting to the heart of it
Dr Martin says this year’s National Palliative Care Week theme – ‘Getting to the heart of it: Big Questions. Real Answers’ – reflects the importance of honest conversations about end-of-life care.
‘In rural communities, those conversations are often led by a trusted local doctor who understands the patient and their family,’ he said.
‘That relationship is critical to ensuring care is personal, respectful and aligned with what matters most.’
ACRRM is encouraging all Australians to use the week as an opportunity to start conversations and plan ahead.
‘Palliative care is about helping people live as well as they can, for as long as they can,’ Dr Martin said. ‘Wherever you live, you deserve care that keeps you comfortable, connected and in control.’
