Palliative care units

Palliative care wards of public hospitals tend to be referred to by the term ‘unit’ or ‘inpatient unit’ rather than ‘ward’.

Some hospitals have one dedicated palliative care unit. In other hospitals the number of palliative care ‘beds’ form part of a unit combined with other types of beds (e.g. geriatric evaluation and management).

Palliative care units work in close cooperation with community palliative care services, hospital based palliative care consultancy services and other wards and services of their hospital.

Austin Health Palliative Care Unit

145 Studley Rd Heidelberg, Ward 8 South, Level 8, Olivia Newton John Cancer Wellness and Research Centre

21 palliative care beds

Phone: 9496 2542

Fax: 9496 4213

Website: Austin Health Palliative Care Services and Olivia Newton John Centre Palliative Care

Caritas Christi Hospice

28 palliative care beds

Referrals Phone: 9231 5000 (Caritas switchboard). For admissions, ask for Admissions Coordinator.

Fax: 9231 5666

Website:https://www.svhm.org.au/health-professionals/palliative-care-services

185 Cooper St Epping

16 palliative care beds

Intake Phone: 8405 2806 or 8405 2807. Unit A general phone: 8405 8114

Fax: 8405 2805

Website: https://www.nh.org.au/service/palliative-care

Royal Melbourne Hospital Palliative Care Unit*

300 Grattan St (Cnr Royal Parade) Parkville, Ward 7 West

12 palliative care beds, operating together with the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre (Peter Mac) as part of the Parkville Integrated Palliative Care Service of the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre (VCCC)*

Phone: 9342 2580

Fax: 9342 2584

Website: Royal Melbourne Hospital Palliative and supportive care (for patients and visitors)

St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne (Fitzroy Campus) Palliative Care Unit

41 Victoria Parade Fitzroy, Building A, Level 6

8 palliative care beds

Referrals Phone: 9231 5000 (Caritas Christi switchboard). Admissions process for SVMH Fitzroy shared with Caritas Christi. Ask for Admissions Coordinator. Fitzroy hospital campus switchboard: 9231 2211. Direct phone for palliative care unit: 9231 4697.

Referrals Fax: 9231 5666 (Caritas Christi shared admissions process).

Website:https://www.svhm.org.au/health-professionals/palliative-care-services

Sunshine Hospital Palliative Care Unit

176 Furlong Rd St Albans, Ground Floor Sub-acute

12 palliative care beds in a combined GEM/Palliative Care ward

Phone: 8345 1792

Fax: 8345 0695

Website: Western Health Palliative Care

Werribee Mercy Hospital Palliative Care Unit (Gabrielle Jennings Centre)

300 Princes Hwy Werribee

12 palliative care beds

Phone: 8754 3731

Fax: 9216 8751

Website: Mercy Health Palliative Care

*Parkville Integrated Palliative Care Service of the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre (VCCC)

Palliative care services of the Royal Melbourne Hospital/Melbourne Health and the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre (Peter Mac) operate together as a shared service – the Parkville Integrated Palliative Care Service – of the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre (VCCC). The services include the 12 bed inpatient unit at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, cancer and non-cancer outpatient clinics, and the inpatient palliative care consultation service that covers the Parkville Precinct (Royal Melbourne Hospital, Royal Women’s Hospital and Peter Mac).