It has been reported by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) that in the last decade, there have been a significant surge in the number of patients seeking palliative care. It has been informed that the palliative patients are provided with care for more than 12 days in the hospitals.

The surge in the number of patients seeking palliative care was reported highest in public hospitals. With the pursuit of supporting the hospitals in providing effective treatment to the palliative patients, Mark Butler, from the ministry of aged care, has provided the state and territories with additional funding of $1.6 million.

It has been informed that the money thus received will be utilized over improving the community based services. Moreover, through the additional funding, about 1300 new beds will be introduced all over the Australian hospitals by 2013-14.

While announcing additional funding, Mark Butler said, “The strategy commits all levels of government to providing quality palliative care services to Australians who need them, while improving the community's understanding that dying and death are a normal part of our life cycle that should be respected”.

It has emerged that the indigenous Australians are availing the palliative care at the most. These patients, most of the time, belongs to poor social background. Not only the admission to palliative care has increased, people succumbing to death from palliative care have also increased by 21% in the last ten years.

There is need to increase the staffing of the palliative care unit so that demands of the growing patients could be met. It has been informed by Dr. Sean Morrison of the National Palliative Care Research Center that the staff of the palliative care in not adequately trained to provide treatment to the patients. It is estimated that in the coming time a large number of people will be availing palliative care. Therefore, any shortfall in the palliative care is required to be met timely.