Palliative Care and Advance Care Planning Advisory Services

ProjectGuidelines

Grant Program Process Flowchart

1.Introduction

1.1.Program Background

Aged care providers and general practitioners (GPs) providing medical care to recipients of aged care services, are increasingly involved in the delivery of palliative care, often without the specialist knowledge or skills to provide complex palliative care. TheNational Palliative Care Strategy 2010 – Supporting Australians to Live Well at the End of Life (the Strategy) noted that “processes to support access to information and services… (are)… critical to the provision of high quality palliative care”.

The Australian Government wishes to support aged care providers and GPs serving people receiving aged care services, in providing quality palliative care by funding the operation of advisory services which can offer specialist palliative care and advance care planning advice. There are approximately 2,700 residential aged care services and 2,100 community aged care services that operate under the terms of the Aged Care Act 1997(the Act). Further information about aged care services funded under the Act can be found in the 2011-12 Report on the operation of the Aged Care Act 1997. The report is available from the Department’s website

As part of the Living Longer, Living Better aged care reform package, announced on 20 April2012, the Government committed funds to improve palliative care services provided to aged care recipients, helping ensure that aged care providers and GPs caring for recipients of aged care services have access to specialist advice. This measure will provide fundingover five years for innovative specialist palliative care and advance care planning advisory services for aged care providers and GPs caring for recipients of aged care services, to build better links between aged care and palliative care services.

Funds of up to $16,459,300 (GST inclusive) will be available for a period commencing in late 2012-13 and ending on 30 June 2016. The exact amount funded will be determined based on the Department’s assessment of the detailed budget submitted as part of assessment criterion one by the successful applicant.

The National Palliative Care Strategy 2010 – Supporting Australians to Live Well at the End of Life (the Strategy) represents the combined commitments of the Australian, state and territory governments, palliative care service providers and community-based organisations. It guides the development and implementation of palliative care policies, strategies and services across Australia.

The establishment of innovative specialist palliative care and advance care planning advisory aligns with the Strategy through the following goals:

Goal 2 –to enhance community and professional awareness of the scope of, and benefits of timely and appropriate access to, palliative care services.
Goal 3 – appropriate and effective palliative careis available to all Australians based on need.
Goal 5 –to build and enhance the capacity of all relevant sectors in health and human services to provide quality palliative care.

You can find more information about the Strategy and the Living Longer Living Better aged care reforms on the Department’s website.

1.2.Program Purpose, Scope,Objectives and Outcomes

The purpose of the Palliative Care and Advance Care Planning Advisory Services project is to establish advisory services, using innovative models, for aged care services and GPs caring for recipients of aged care services.

Advisory services will need to be delivered Monday to Friday 09:00 – 17:00, in the time zone of the respective state or territory, at a minimum. However, proposals to provide services in addition to these core hours will be assessed favourably.

The objective of the project is to deliver and coordinate delivery of innovative models of specialist palliative care and advance care planning advisory services in all jurisdictions.

The objectives of the advisory services are to:

provide specialist palliative care and advance care planning advice to aged care providers and GPs caring for recipients of aged care services;
improve linkages between aged care services and palliative care services;
improve the palliative care skills and advance care planning expertise of aged care service staff and GPs caring for recipients of aged care services; and
improve the quality of care for aged care recipients, prevent unnecessary hospital admissions and shorten hospital stays.

The establishment of the services will deliver the following outcomes:

the empowerment of GPs and aged care providers with knowledge of palliative care and advance care planning relevant to their situation;
the creation of links between aged care and palliative care; and
the provision of advice about palliative care, advance care planning and advance care directive resources, processes, legislation and accountabilities in the state or territory in which the aged care provider or GP is located.

1.3. Roles and responsibilities

The Grant Program Process Flowchart on the first page outlines the roles and responsibilities of each party.

Evaluation of compliant applications, that is those applications which met the Conditions of Participation as set out below at 5.2, will be undertaken by an assessment panel established by the Department of Health and Ageing. The panel will comprise officers from the Department of Health and Ageing.

The assessment panel will advise the Decision Maker on the merits of each application against the appraisal criteria. The Decision Maker will approve the successful application.

The Decision Maker for the Palliative Care and Advance Care Planning Advisory Servicesprogram is the Assistant Secretary, Cancer and Palliative Care Branch, Population Health Division.

1.4. Anticipated key dates

The following table outlines the anticipated timeline for the program.

Milestone / Anticipated Dates
Program Announced / 20 April 2012
Guidelines Published / April 2013
Applications Open / April 2013
Applications Close / May 2013
Assessment and Decision / By June 2013
Funding Agreement Negotiations / June 2013
Funding Agreement Executed by Department / June 2013
Commencement of advisory services start-up phase / Upon Funding Agreement execution
Funding Agreement Ends / 30 June 2016

2.Eligibility

2.1.Who is eligible to apply for funding?

Applications are encouraged from non-government and government entities other than the Commonwealth that are organisations with the ability to deliver and coordinate the delivery of expert palliative care and advance care planning advice to aged care providers including GPs. Since arrangements for the provision of palliative care, and legal and other processes affecting advance care planning, may vary between jurisdictions, applicants must demonstrate that they can deliver services that provide expert advice appropriate in all states and territories.

Only legal entities are eligible to apply for funding under this project. Applicants must ensure that they are eligible to enter into a legal Agreement with the Commonwealth of Australia(Commonwealth), represented by the Department, before submitting their application.

While joint applications or applications from consortia will be accepted, the Commonwealth will only sign an agreement for this funding with the organisation nominated in the Application Form. This ‘lead organisation’ receives the funding and assumes legal responsibility for delivering the project as outlined in the Agreement.

2.2.What is eligible for funding?

Funding will be provided to an organisation for the delivery of palliative care and advance care planning advisory services, using innovative models, for aged care services and GPs caring for recipients of aged care services. The successful Applicant may deliver the services itself or coordinate the delivery of such services by a consortium of organisations.

Applications to undertake the project are to be cognisant of the following requirements:

Funding will only be provided to deliverpalliative care and advance care planning advisory services, using innovative models, in each state and territory that take account of the arrangements, legislation and administrative processes peculiar to that state and territory.
The services that are delivered should complement existing services in the state or territory concerned and should not seek to duplicate or replace those services.
The services should be delivered as a national project with a set of common branding and contact arrangements.
The project will commence upon execution of the Agreement (anticipated to occur some time in June 2013) and is to be completed no later than 30 June 2016. Services will be provided from that date of execution to 30 June 2016 inclusive.
Funding will only be provided for new proposals. Items that will not be funded include:
capital works or construction;
purchasing of major equipment or motor vehicles;
retrospective items or activities;
activities undertaken by political organisations; and
activities that subsidise commercial activities.

Applicants should be familiar with:
The Australian Palliative Residential Aged Care (APRAC) guidelines which are available at the National Health and Medical Research Council website .
The Community Palliative Aged Care (COMPAC) guidelines which are available atthe Department’s website
Applicants should be aware of current palliative care service delivery frameworks in each state and territory and promote clear linkages between the advisory services and existing palliative care services and policy initiatives.
Applicants should be familiar with the principles and goals of the National Palliative Care Strategy, which is available from the Department’s website.
Applicants should have awareness of sensitivities around ageing, death, dying and bereavement issues.
Applicants should be familiar with relevant cultural, community and organisational issues that apply to palliative care. This includes the cultural and other needs of residents and staff working in aged care, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

The successful applicant will be required to be aware of, and coordinate project activities with, existing and future state and territory palliative care and advance care planning programs and existing Australian Government projects including:

Respecting Patient Choices (
Program of Experience in the Palliative Approach (
Caresearch (
The Palliative Approach Toolkit (

3.Probity

The Australian Government is committed to ensuring that the process for providing funding under the Palliative Care and Advance Care Planning Advisory Services program is transparent and in accordance with published Guidelines.

Note:Guidelines may be varied from time-to-time by the Australian Government as the needs of
the program dictate. Amended Guidelines will be published on the Department’s website.

3.1.Conflict of interest

A conflict of interest may exist, for example, if the applicant or any of its personnel:

has a relationship (whether professional, commercial or personal) with a party who is able to influence the application assessment process, such as a Department staff member;
has a relationship with, or interest in, an organisation, which is likely to interfere with or restrict the applicant in carrying out the proposed activities fairly and independently; or
has a relationship with, or interest in, an organisation from which they will receive personal gain as a result of the granting of funding under thePalliative Care and Advance Care Planning Advisory Services program.

Applicants will be required to declare as part of their application, existing conflicts of interest or that to the best of their knowledge there is no conflict of interest, including in relation to the examples above, that would impact on or prevent the applicant from proceeding with the project or any funding agreement it may enter into with the Australian Government.

Where an applicant subsequently identifies that an actual, apparent, or potential conflict of interest exists or might arise in relation to this application for funding, the applicant must inform the Department in writing immediately.

Members of Assessment Committees are required to sign a Deed of Confidentiality – Conflict statement. Where a Department staff member or other officer involved in the assessment of applications identifies that an actual, apparent or potential conflict of interest exists or might arise in relation to this application for funding, they must declare it to the Department in accordance with Corporate Business Rule 4. Conflict of Interest.

3.2.Confidentialityand Protection of Personal Information

Applicants will be required to declare as part of their application, their ability to comply with Clause 8.1 Confidential Information not to be disclosed and Clause 2.9 Protection of Personal Information in the funding agreement it may enter into with the Australian Government.

Further information can be found in the Standard Fund Agreement available on the Department of Health and Ageing website:

4.How to Apply.

4.1.Obtaining an application

Applicants must obtain an application form from the Department’s website:

4.2.Application requirements

Applications must be submitted to the Department by the closing date identified in the Invitation to Apply for funding.

Applications are to include the following:

A completed Application Form;
Documentary proof of legal status of organisation;
Signed Declaration Form; and
Two (2) written references.

4.3.In the case of joint or consortium applications, a letter of support from each organisation involved in the project.

4.4.How to submit an application

Applications are to be submitted in the following manner:

The completed application together with all required attachments must be submitted by 2pm Australian Eastern Standard Time onthe closing date identified in the Invitation to Apply for funding.
All applications are to be submitted in single sided, Word format.
All applications packages should include:

-the original unbound (i.e. not stapled) application including supporting documents; and

-two (2) unbound copies of the original application (also in Word format and single sided).

Applications should be enclosed in a sealed package marked as followed:

The Tenderbox

ITA 332/1213

Department of Health and Ageing

Sirius Building

Foyer, Ground Floor

23 Furzer Street

WODEN ACT 2606

Applications may be posted, hand delivered or couriered to the above address. It is recommended that those delivering hand delivered or couriered applications request a receipt of delivery at the Department’s reception desk.
Please note that the Tenderbox is accessible for deliveries between the hours of 8.30am and 5.00pm Mondays to Fridays (public holidays excepted).
Faxed and emailed applications will not be accepted.

To assist with the appraisal of an application, clarifying information may be requested by the Department. Applicants will be notified by email or post where this is required.

5.Appraisal

5.1.Appraisal process

Based on the information provided in the application, the Department will undertake an evaluation of applications against the appraisal criteria outlined below.Representatives from state/territory health departments and/or community representatives with palliative care, advance care planning or other expertise may provide advice to the panel.

5.2.Appraisal criteria

Applications will be assessed in two steps.

The first step comprises the Conditions of Participation and Mandatory Criteria and is the initial process that an application must satisfy in order to progress to assessment for funding. For the purposes of this project, all applicants wishing to be considered for this project funding must meet the following Conditions of Participation:

•The application is to be received by the Invitation to Apply (ITA) closure deadline;

•The application is to be completed in English;

•The Declaration at Section 5 of the application is to be completed and signed;

•Applicants are to ensure that they are eligible to enter into a legal Agreement with the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing before submitting their application. Provision of proof of organisation’s legal status as an incorporated body, such as a Certificate of Incorporation should be provided with the Application;

•Organisations submitting a Joint or Consortium Application are to provide a letter of support from each organisation involved in the project which includes:

an overview of how the organisation will work with the lead organisation and any other organisation/s to support the successful completion of the project;
an outline of the relevant experience and/or expertise the organisation will bring to the project team;
the roles/responsibilities the organisation will undertake, and the resources it will contribute (if any); and
details of a nominated management level contact officer.

Each Letter of Support is to be signed by an appropriately authorised person capable of committing the organisation.

Only those applications that meet all of the above Conditions of Participation and all of the below Mandatory Criteria will be assessed against the Assessment Criteria:

The proposed activities must cover all states and territories in their entirety and provide for the delivery, at a minimum, of these services from Monday to Friday, 09:00 – 17:00 inclusive, in the time zone of the respective state or territory; and
The proposed activities must include provision of advice around palliative care and advance care planning.

ii.The second set of criteria to be met is the Assessment Criteria. These are the criteria against which the assessment panel will evaluate all applications received for this grant funding that meet the Conditions of Participation. Each criterion will be addressed through a series of questions. For the purposes of this project, all applications will be assessed in accordance with the following Assessment Criteria:

ASSESSMENT CRITERION ONE - MEETING THE NEED

Applicants are asked to demonstrate:

how they will identify the differing arrangements for the provision of specialist palliative care and advance care planning, including advance care directives, in each state and territory;
an understanding of existing state/territory palliative care service delivery frameworks;
how the advisory services will complement existing state/territory palliative care and advance care planning services;
how they will provide clear linkages with existing state/territory palliative care services and policy frameworks;
how the palliative care and advance care planning advisory services, using innovative models, in each state and territory will be delivered while ensuring universal access;
how the services will be delivered using common national branding and contact arrangements whilst also ensuring that the advisers have expert knowledge of the arrangements applying in each state and territory;
their ability to develop a detailed and effective project plan for the project (a template is available at Part D of the ITA). The project plan must describe the key objectives, activities, timeframes and indicators and measures of achievement. In addressing this criterion, the applicant must incorporate and explain how they will deliver the following required deliverables:
palliative care and advance care planning advisory services, using innovative models, for aged care services and GPs caring for recipients of aged care services that operate in,and provide full coverage of, all states and territories; and
the delivery, at a minimum, ofthese services from Monday to Friday, 09:00 – 17:00 inclusive, in the time zone of the respective state or territory.
an appropriate communication plan; and
their ability to provide a complete and fully costed budget that includes every item for which funding is being sought (a template is available at Part D of the ITA). Accordingly, the budget must provide separate line items for each item of funding. The budget template provided in the application is indicative only and applicants are expected to amend and adjust the budget to ensure both accuracy and completeness.

The weighting for this criterion is 50%.