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Building a Legacy of Compassion: Honouring a Leader in Queensland’s Palliative Care Sector.

Associate Professor Carol Douglas has spent her career transforming the landscape of palliative care across Queensland. Her dedication to developing integrated education pathways, supporting specialist training and advocating for equitable end-of-life care has shaped the system that exists today. This culminated in the recognition as a recipient of the Kings Birthday Honour for services to the public.

Palliative Care Queensland sat down with Associate Professor Carol Douglas after her humbling achievement.

“It really was a wonderful occasion,” she recalled. “You’re quite humbled by it… I think it really is a great focus on palliative care, the fact it (the award) has highlighted the absolute need for development of services throughout Queensland.”

This was the result of decades spent building the Palliative Medicine Training Program, increasing the potential for doctors wishing to train in this Specialty.

Associate Professor Douglas first commenced as a Specialist following Foundation Fellowship in 2000. Her journey started in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah in the late 90’s where she supported the first Palliative Care Unit in Malaysia and subsequently undertook post graduate studies before returning back to Australia.

Recognising early on that there were few formal training sites, limited registrar funding and virtually no integration between hospitals, the quest to improve the system commenced.

“There was absolutely no integration of training sites in Queensland,” she recalled “Registrars literally had to ring around sites looking for jobs!”

Determined to change that, she began working to deliver a collaborative system, and, by 2013, the training was integrated into the Queensland Health RMO Campaign providing visibility to prospective trainees. The Queensland palliative medicine training pathway was established.

“It took a lot of collaboration. There was quite a bit of ‘we’ll look after our own’ attitude in the early days. But by 2013 we had an agreement on paper and a pathway that allowed us to recruit and train registrars in a coordinated way.and provide a varied experience of training.

This foundational work created a template where, to date more than 70% of Queensland’s palliative care consultants have come through the Palliative Medicine Training Program.

During the years of development, it was just building it and each year, as well as my being the Director of Palliative Care at RBWH, because we were integrating registrars, there was increasing visibility for training

From just a handful of training sites, the program has now expanded to more than 20 locations across the state, from metro hubs in Brisbane to regional centres that once had no dedicated palliative care presence.

“Places like Cairns have developed into high level services with multiple training positions.”

“I go down to the Wide Bay area where we’ve now got consultants being appointed.” “We’re growing nursing staff and allied health at the same time”

The future of palliative care will be laid with a strong foundation that Associate Professor Douglas has established. Her legacy firmly established.

Technology, however, will play a growing role in healthcare delivery. But she remains as clear as ever about its limitations.

“People need people. I don’t think we can do without patient contact.”

Telehealth will take a bigger and bigger place in delivering care.”

Whist they will offer new efficiencies, she warns against losing sight of the human element of care.

“Telehealth just can’t pick up all those nuances on a screen. You visit with a nurse, a nurse picks different things up, the doctor picks up different things. You learn things about the family.” All these elements support better care.

From achieving Specialist training to pioneering an integrated training pathway and shaping a medical workforce that spans Queensland. Associate Professor Douglas career has been one of unfaltering dedication to the health of Queenslanders.

Her Kings Birthday Honour is a fitting recognition for her efforts, but for Carol, the true reward lies in the palliative care patients experience made more comfortable and more dignified through better care.

“I’ve always thought of my work has been all about giving back to the public.”

Putting the person at the centre… it can give people a lot more reassurance confronting their death.”[/vc_column_text]