Assisted dying laws bring renewed focus on end of life care

Medical experts say there's little understanding in the community about the benefits of palliative care services in Australia with patients often accessing services at a late stage. The comments come at a time when there's renewed focus on end of life care, with assisted dying now legal in Victoria and the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety highlighting some of the staffing pressures facing palliative care services.

Nurse in Mount Druitt Hospital's palliative care unit tending to a patient. Source: AAP