Table 1 Name, category and description of documents included in the review
Title | Year | Category | Description | Equity consideration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
National documents | ||||
 1. Royal Commission into Aged Care Report | Feb 2021 | Recommendation | The report present findings of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety work and their recommendation for aged care system reform in Australia including palliative and end of life care | Acknowledges the lack of care for those with ‘special needs’; highlights underserved populations e.g. homeless, Indigenous people and those in rural settings. Recommends the right to fair, equitable and non-discriminatory access to palliative and end-of-life care. |
 2. Evaluation of the End-of-Life Directions for Aged Care Program | Dec 2020 | Evaluation Report | The report is a summary of an evaluation of the End-of-Life Directions for Aged Care (ELDAC) implemented from 2017 to 18 to 2019–20 | No reference to equity and social determinants of palliative care |
 3. Budget 2020–21: Aged Care – Greater Choice for At Home Palliative Care | Oct 2020 | Government Budget Fact Sheet | A Budget 2020–21 fact sheet is part of a collection on government ageing and aged care budget | The only mention of equity is: ‘addressing people’s need wherever they live’ |
 4. Implementation Plan for the National Palliative Care Strategy 2018 | Oct 2020 | Policy, strategy or framework | Implementation Plan for the National Palliative Care Strategy provides a guide to improve the implementation of palliative care services in Australia | Focuses on priority population groups and includes action plan to address access issues for these groups |
 5. Evaluation of the National Palliative Care Projects | March 2020 | Evaluation Report | The report presents the findings of the evaluation of the 13 Commonwealth funded palliative care projects. The projects primarily focused on workforce education and training, quality improvement and advance care planning and did not fund palliative care service delivery. | Includes extensive discussion on collaboration but no reference to equity or social determinants of palliative care, |
 6–16. Exploratory analysis of barriers to palliative care: Summary Policy Paper plus 9 individual reports for: people from culturally and linguistically diverse groups; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples; care leavers and people affected by forced adoption; people with disability; people experiencing homelessness; people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex; people who are incarcerated; refugees; veterans | Jan 2020 | Review Report These include one overall summary report as well individual reports for each priority groups. | The summary policy paper and series of nine full reports presents the exploratory analysis of barriers and facilitators to access to high quality palliative care that are common to most or all of 9 under-served populations in Australia. | All documents have an extensive focus on equity and social determinants of palliative care highlighting shared difficulties and more nuanced information for each of the underserved populations |
 16. National Palliative Care projects - Grant opportunity | June 2019 | Grant Opportunity Guideline | The guideline outlines eligibility to apply for national palliative care grants to improve access to high quality palliative care in Australia, and to enhance the quality of palliative care service delivery and provide support for people who are dying, their families and carers | Prioritises projects that ‘Improve the health of targeted populations that experience health inequalities or social disadvantage including those based on gender, culture, age and disability’. |
 17. The National Palliative Care Strategy 2018 | Feb 2019 | Policy, strategy or framework | National Palliative Care Strategy 2018 is the latest national policy in Australia and was developed following the 2016 evaluation of the 2010 national strategy. The strategy outlines government’s higher-level strategies for palliative care in Australia | Focuses on underserved populations and structural barriers of access and choice |
 18. Evaluation Plan for the Greater Choice for At Home Palliative Care | Jan 2019 | Evaluation Plan Report | This evaluation plan sets out the approach for the evaluation of the Greater Choice for At Home Palliative Care Measure. | Mentions engagement with underserved populations. A strong focus on equity with ‘equity’ being one of the evaluation reporting domain. |
 19. Greater Choice for At Home Palliative Care | Nov 2018 | Project Report | This report summarises palliative care activities coordinated through 11 Primary Health Networks (PHNs) in Australia. PHNs are Australian regional primary health care organisations | Only one of the participating PHNs focused on underserved populations – CALD and refugees. No mention of equity or social determinants of palliative care |
 20. Evaluation of the National Palliative Care Strategy 2010 | Sep 2016 | Evaluation Report | The report presents the findings of the evaluation of the 2010 National palliative Care Strategy. The aim of the evaluation was to determine how relevant and useful the strategy is for palliative care in Australia. | Reports that lack of attention to underserved populations and notes a disparity between urban and rural settings. Highlights the need for greater focus on underserved populations |
 21. Palliative care in Australia | May 2016 | Government response to inquiry | This report details Health’s response of the Australian Government to the Senate Community Affairs References Committee report: Palliative Care in Australia. | Provides recommendations to identify potential gaps and improve palliative care for people with disabilities and Indigenous people |
South Australian documents | ||||
 22. Palliative Care Strategic Framework 2021–2026 (draft) | June 2021 | Policy, strategy or framework | The strategic framework has been developed in recognition of a need for a clear and consistent narrative that identifies priorities and guides collective efforts to improve palliative care services in South Australia | Focuses on each of the underserved populations and notes the need for greater collaboration |
 23. Palliative Care 2020 Grants Program Project Showcase | June 2021 | Report | The Palliative Care 2020 Grants Program provided $1.4 million in funding to 16 non-government organisations to undertake 17 projects. The projects focus on improving services for those in our community who were identified with greater needs in the 2019 state-wide assessment of palliative care needs. | Funds project with a focus on those with greater needs (6 out of of 17 projects) |
 24. Palliative care needs in South Australia | Oct 2019 | Review Report | The report presents palliative care needs in different settings and for different population groups in South Australia | Acknowledges people with complex needs, disabilities and Indigenous people, CALD communities, children and rural and remote. |
 25. Palliative Care Services Plan 2009–2016 | May 2009 | Policy, strategy or framework | The paper outlines the South Australian Government’s plan to expand and reshape services, in light of increasing demand for end-of-life care across the health system. | Notes that people need help regardless of locationaand focuses on improving access and equity, discusses the social gradient. |