I am a retired palliative care doctor who is now an advocate for better access to palliative care, especially in rural and regional NSW.

Mr Winship first gives the WHO definition of palliative care and then goes on to suggest that this amounts to slow euthanasia.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Palliative care is not about dying, it is about living as well as possible to the last possible moment.

Far from “occurring slowly by accumulation of drug effects” modern specialist palliative care can ensure that people are free of pain and other symptoms so that they can get on with living while they and their loved ones are supported.

I want to correct a number of common misconceptions about palliative care: First, that palliative care is only for the end of life. It isn’t! It can be helpful from the first diagnosis of a life-limiting condition and can be applied together with life-prolonging treatments.

Second, that once palliative care is started patients are drugged to the eyeballs. Wrong!

If medication is needed to control symptoms it is very carefully adjusted, as the definition quoted by Mr Winship says “with meticulous attention to detail”.

Third, that a referral to palliative care means that you are very close to death. No!

You could have years to live, but they’ll be better and longer years because of the palliative care. Palliative care means so much to every life it touches.

Sadly, there just isn’t enough of it in rural and regional NSW at the moment. Palliative care relieves suffering. We don’t have to kill people to do that.

To help Push for Palliative email me at yvonnemcmaster1@gmail.com or go to Facebook https://www.facebook.com/PushForPalliative

Dr Yvonne McMaster OAM