The online directory is now live at www.mycommunitydirectory.com.au/Victoria/Horsham or via a link on council’s homepage at www.hrcc.vic.gov.au

We’ve already started to use My Community Directory as the primary database of health and community services and local community organisations in the region. In the coming weeks, you’ll notice more information becoming available on the Horsham Community Directory as community and health organisations publish their own information.

Having a comprehensive, up-to-date directory is becoming increasingly important for supporting healthy communities.

The Horsham Community Directory is a one-stop-shop for people to access services and supports for a huge range of issues, and for organisations to list themselves in order to connect with the community.

As well as listing services for the free on the Horsham Community Directory, organisations can promote their community events on the Horsham Community Diary.

Both websites are desktop, tablet and mobile compatible. My Community Directory has also released an app version called Access My Community that is available for download on iOS and Android devices.

For more information about the Horsham Community Directory or Horsham Community Diary, or to find out more about how you can get involved, contact Kathy Newton on 5382 9712.

Kevin O’Brien, director community services, Horsham Rural City Council

PALLIATIVE Care Australia is calling for increased funding for palliative care services to ensure all Australians can access support at the end of life, regardless of the legality of voluntary assisted dying.

The debate in the Victorian Parliament has highlighted the emotional and difficult times that people have experienced caring for loved ones at the end of life. We know that palliative care services make a real difference to the vast majority of patients’ quality of life and provide support to their families after their death.

It is vital that governments across Australia ensure that their palliative care services can support all of those who require assistance, and this is even more important in light of proposed law reform in Victoria and New South Wales.

It is true that Australia has one of the best palliative care systems in the world. However there are still many people who miss out because of their location, diagnosis, ethnicity or socioeconomic status. More needs to be done to address the gap in services, particularly in rural and regional areas.

We need increased funding to educate the community about palliative care and engage them to plan for their future care. We know that people who plan ahead for their desired care and share those wishes with their family and health team, are more likely to receive it.

More also needs to be done to upskill health professionals outside of the palliative care sector, such as GPs, nurses, aged care staff, allied health and other health professionals to ensure they are equipped with the knowledge and skills to best support people with a life-limiting illness and their carers.

Currently, medical and nursing students do not receive adequate training about end-of-life issues and communication skills, and this should be a priority for all universities to integrate into their curriculums.

No matter the outcome of the proposed legislation, palliative care and aged care will continue to care for the vast majority of Australians at the end of life. This needs to be resourced accordingly.

Liz Callaghan, chief executive, Palliative Care Australia