Minister Petitpas Taylor announces $6 million in funding for Pallium Canada to improve access to quality palliative care services

Funding will help Pallium Canada expand its LEAP program and address palliative care needs at the local level

OTTAWA, Feb. 12, 2018 /CNW/ - Many Canadians with life-threatening illnesses wish to remain independent and receive the care they need in their own homes. Quality home and palliative care is critical to making this happen.

Today, Health Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor announced $6 million in funding over three years to Pallium Canada to train more health care providers and others in palliative care so that more Canadians can access this care where and when they need it.

The funding will help Pallium Canada expand its Learning Essential Approaches to Palliative Care (LEAP) program. LEAP provides resources, workshops and training for a range of health care providers and others who may not be specialists in palliative care, but who provide care for Canadians facing serious and life-threatening illnesses.

Over the next three years, Pallium Canada will train more LEAP facilitators at the local level who can offer additional LEAP courses across the country, expand the availability of the LEAP on-line program to reach new audiences, and continue to refine the cultural awareness components of the program to respond to the diversity of Canadians.

This investment is an important step in helping to improve Canadians' access to quality palliative care services. The Government recognizes that access to palliative and end-of-life care is an important issue for all Canadians. It has demonstrated its commitment by passing Bill C-277: An Act Providing for the Development of a Framework on Palliative Care. In the coming months, the federal government will consult with provinces, territories and stakeholders on the development of this framework.

Quotes

"Access to quality palliative care services is essential for Canadians facing life-threatening and debilitating illnesses. I am pleased that our Government is helping Pallium Canada to expand its well-known program so that more people are trained to provide comfort, compassion and support for those who are nearing the end of life."

The Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor
Minister of Health

"Every Canadian facing a life-threatening illness should receive high quality palliative care, yet only 15% to 30% have access to such services. Pallium Canada is pleased for the support provided by Health Canada, which helps ensure that more Canadians are mobilized and equipped with the knowledge and skillset to deliver high quality compassionate palliative and end-of-life care".

Gérald Savoie, Chair, Board of Directors
Pallium Canada

Quick Facts

• $6 million in funding will be provided to Pallium Canada over three years, to expand Pallium's palliative care training resources.
• The funding is provided under Health Canada's Health Care Policy Contribution Program.
• The contribution agreement between Health Canada and Pallium Canada ends March 31, 2020.

Associated Links
Palliative care
Pallium Canada
Framework on Palliative Care in Canada Act

SOURCE Health Canada

Thierry Bélair, Office of Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Health, 613-957-0200; Media Relations, Health Canada, 613-957-2983; Public Inquiries: 613-957-2991, 1-866 225-0709