Shire backs Fernlea palliative care bid

THE Shire of Yarra Ranges has joined the call for state and federal governments to support the region’s community palliative care unit.
This comes after the Mail last week reported in its front page story, Hospice Help, that the Emerald unit would close in June unless it got the cash it needed to continue.
Lyster Ward councillor Samantha Dunn at a meeting last Tuesday (24 March) called for the council to write to the State Government in a bid to keep Fernlea House intact.
Fernlea House needs $400,000 a year to keep its doors open.
But the service continues to go unfunded as the federal and state governments wash their hands of the responsibility.
For the past four years the service has been funded federally but it appears the cash has now dried up.
Fernlea House was recently told the federal funding would not be continued.
The State Government also continues to deny the service funding as it’s not attached to a health service.
Under the aged care policy, the State Government is unable to support community-based palliative care units.
Cr Dunn said Fernlea House fell outside the governments’ criteria and was being forgotten about.
She said it was an old case of the clinical model versus social.
Cr Dunn said it would be tragic to see the service close.
“It would be a terrible blow especially to those already dealing with a terminal illness,” she said.
At the meeting last week, Cr Noel Cliff (Streeton Ward) recalled his mother’s battle with a terminal illness.
“She was in this single brick building in the Royal Melbourne hospital…it was dreadful,” Cr Cliff said.
“At least at Fernlea it’s a place for people to go and enjoy their final days.”Cr Cliff said the council needed to take up the issue and campaign to keep the unit open.
“Dying is not instant and Fernlea offers a great place for these people to get away,” he said.
“We really need to put the screws in to both the federal and state governments.”
The Mail contacted Federal Minister for Ageing Justine Elliott but was unable to get a response before going to print.