EMPTY BEDS: Anam Cara misses out on funding wish to run new facility

A 20-BED Geelong palliative care centre won’t open as soon as hoped after the Victorian government failed to fund its operating costs in its state budget.

Not-for-profit organisation Anam Cara House Geelong had sought $1.95 million a year in the 2023/24 Victorian budget handed down last month to welcome patients to its new residential care complex

Anam Cara last year finished construction of a new $21.5-million care centre that includes capacity for overnight stays and 24-hour end of life care for Geelong residents.

Anam Cara’s community-centric model means it has beds earmarked for a wide range of patients; including people with private health insurance, self-funded patients, those funded by Commonwealth programs such as the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), and community members who fit in none of those categories but are equally in need of the vital service.

The new centre at Deakin University, Waurn Ponds became possible after a fundraising campaign that attracted $7.3 million form Geelong donors and businesses, plus contributions from the federal ($7.2 million) and state ($5 million) governments.

But the facility’s opening will be further delayed after Anam Cara was denied a request for $5.85 million in funding over three years to run the service.

The new Anam Cara House has started day and outreach programs for local residents with life-limiting illnesses while it waits for further operating funds.

Anam Cara CEO Adrian Hart said the organisation had positive and supportive discussions with local MPs at state and federal level ahead of its budget submission this year – but that support was not duplicated by the state health department.

“It’s an amazing, $22 million facility and the community of Geelong have given more than $7 million to build it,” Mr Hart said.

“Now what we’re doing is looking for support so that anyone can be able to use it.”

Mr Hart said the overnight centre’s inability to open also had the effect of impacting under-pressure hospital resources.

“The flow-on from that is that there’s people who are in private and public hospitals at the moment who are dying and they’re in a in an acute bed that somebody else could be using.

“The person could be comfortbale in our facility [which] is immaculate – an amazing purpose-built facility, and they could be dying here.”

Mr Hart said Anam Cara also had support from local hospitals including Barwon Health, St John of God and Epworth, other non-profit support organisations including Hope Bereavement Care and Peace of Mind Foundation, and First Nations groups Wathaurong Health Service and Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation.

The state government indicated that Anam Cara’s budget submission would duplicate services already provided through state-funded programs through Barwon Health and Bellarine Community Health.

A Department of Health spokesperson said investigations were underway to make use of Geelong’s palliative facilities.

“Barwon Health is currently working with Anam Cara to explore how facilities and capacity can be best utilised in the future and complement existing palliative services in the Barwon region.”

The spokesperson said the government was delivering a $32 million palliative care package across the state to improve services as hospitals and for care providers.