Palliative care services in Australia

Between 2016–17 and 2022–23 (Figure 4):

• Overall, the number of palliative care-related prescriptions increased by 47% (908,000 to 1.3 million). However, the number of people dispensed with palliative care-related prescriptions declined by 8.2% (495,000 to 454,000), leading to an increase in the number of prescriptions per person from 1.8 to 2.9 over this period.
• To be specific, palliative care-related prescriptions increased each year between 2016–17 and 2019–20, declined slightly between 2019–20 and 2020–21 and increased sharply in the following 2 years to 2022–23. The decline in 2020–21 and subsequent increase in the number of prescriptions may reflect changes in consumer behaviour, coinciding with the introduction and then easing of restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. For further details on the impacts of COVID pandemic, see 2022 and 2023 edition of this report and Impacts of COVID-19 on Medicare Benefits Scheme and Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (AIHW 2022).
• The trend for pain relief prescriptions was consistent with that of all palliative care-related prescriptions between 2016–17 and 2018–19. However, it decreased in the next 3 years before increasing slightly by 4.8% between 2021–22 and 2022–23. This was mainly driven by steep falls in prescriptions of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and antirheumatic products after 2018–19 (Table 10). For further details on these falls, see 2023 edition of this report. 
• The prescriptions for gastrointestinal symptoms, neurological symptoms and psychological symptoms increased each year since 2016–17, with a large increase between 2020–21 and 2021–22. This was largely driven by the changes made on PBS Palliative Care Schedule from June 2021 (for further details see 2023 edition of this report). Note that the data for prescriptions of respiratory symptoms are available from 2019–20.
• The trend for palliative care-related medications prescribed by GPs was similar to those prescribed by all clinicians, as prescriptions by GPS accounted for the largest proportion (around 90%) of all medications from PBS Palliative Care Schedule.
• The medications prescribed by palliative medicine specialists remained relatively stable between 2017–18 and 2018–19. It then increased each year since 2018–19, with a dramatic leap between 2020–21 and 2021–22 (almost tripled from 6,400 to 17,800). This was largely driven by pain relief medications prescribed by palliative medicine specialists and people receiving these prescriptions over the same period. 

Figure 4: Trends in prescriptions from PBS Palliative Care Schedule and people receiving them, 2016–17 to 2022–23

Reference

AIHW (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare) (2022) Impacts of COVID-19 on Medicare Benefits Scheme and Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme: quarterly data, AIHW, Australian Government, accessed 10 February 2024.