History

Founded in 1989, Busselton Hospice Care Inc. operates with a team of professional staff and is governed by a voluntary board of management.

Committee members are elected at our annual general meeting and come from a range of backgrounds, both volunteering and professional.

We are principally funded by community donations and fundraising and partner closely with the Busselton Health Campus and the Western Australian Health Department South West Coastal Palliative Care Service and other community service providers. We are delighted to have recently received two, one-year government grants and are working to secure ongoing government grant funding in the future.

The last 30 years

In 2000, a two bed Hospice Unit was opened at 5 Craig Street, West Busselton to provide in-patient hospice care. This project resulted from 10 years from local fundraising and supplemented by WA Department of Health.

For fifteen years, in-patient care and community palliative care nursing was delivered in a partnership between the Silver Chain Nursing Service, WA Country Health Services and Busselton Hospice Care Inc.

Busselton Hospice Care Inc. has traditionally relied on funding from the local community. These funds have supported the employment of palliative care nursing staff to provide care in the Hospice and in the community and management of the Hospice volunteer program.

In 2015, the Busselton Health Campus was opened by the WA Country Health Service, and a 4 bed Hospice Unit was incorporated into the campus. Busselton Hospice Care Inc continues to manage the Volunteer program for this unit.

In 2016, Busselton Hospice Care Inc refurbished the previous Hospice Unit and renamed it The Geographe Bay Centre, Centre for Excellence in Palliative Care continuing our commitment to volunteer outreach programs to support end of life care in our community.

Going Forward
Busselton Hospice Care Inc. is working with the state and country health services, industry health providers, and philanthropic foundations to develop ongoing funding streams that will support the sustainability of palliative care volunteer models in the future. Busselton Hospice Care Inc. continues to advocate for a blended funding system involving a combination of government and community funding as a viable and robust approach to achieving world-class palliative care.

Our Vision

To promote and facilitate excellence in Hospice and Palliative Care, enabling people in our community to have the best possible access to high quality care at the end of life.

Our Mission

To partner with key stakeholders to provide quality, compassionate palliative care and bereavement support. We aim to enhance the quality of life for all those experiencing the end of life and to support those giving care.

Our Core Values

  • Valuing and honouring the sacredness of life and death
  • Building community capacity and resilience around death and dying, and grief and loss
  • Demonstrating compassion, respect, and the preservation of dignity
  • Operating with generosity of spirit
  • Operating as a team with a high standard of professionalism
  • Valuing the inclusion of the community
  • Acknowledging Volunteers as being essential to the Palliative Care service
  • Aligning Care with Australian National Standards.

Our Annual Reports

Our recent Annual Reports are available on this website, in the Resources menu.