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Paediatric Palliative Care

The Paediatric Palliative Care (PPC) Network has a vision that all pēpi, tamariki, rangatahi and whānau in Aotearoa have access to palliative care that meets their needs.

Network Priorities

Equity of Access:

Ensuring that paediatric palliative care is accessible to all children in need, regardless of their age or where they live. Priorities in this space are advocacy for increased resources to ensure specialist services are available across Aotearoa and that these remain sustainable. Future workforce planning is also essential to ensure equity of access.

Equity for Māori Addressing the disparities faced by Māori tamariki with palliative care needs is a core focus. This includes researching gaps in care, collaborating with Māori communities to find solutions, increasing the Māori workforce in health services, and working closely with Hauora Māori Services to better meet the needs of tamariki Māori.

Raising Awareness Increasing knowledge and understanding of paediatric palliative care remains a key priority. This will be achieved through ongoing education, newsletters, and networking opportunities for professionals in the field, helping to build a more informed and connected community around paediatric palliative care.

Elevating the Voice of the Child This workstream ensures that children’s perspectives are central to the development and delivery of care.

Clinical Resources and Guidelines

All guidelines developed by the New Zealand Paediatric Palliative Care Clinical Network can be accessed via the Starship Clinical Guidance page. They have been developed with the support of the Ministry of Health and are intended to be used by secondary medical, nursing and allied health providers who care for babies, children and young people at the end of life. It is not intended that the guidelines be used by primary care providers or by providers in neonatal intensive units. These guidelines are not suitable for use outside the Palliative Care setting. 

You can read an introduction to the guidelines or the developmental methodology.

If you have an interest in Paediatric Palliative Care, we invite you to join us for the Paediatric Palliative Care Education Forum, held on the third Tuesday of each month from 8am to 9am.

These sessions offer valuable knowledge and insights from both national and international speakers, designed to support anyone with an interest in paediatric palliative care.

In partnership with My Health Hub, we are committed to providing accessible education to healthcare professionals across New Zealand. This collaboration has enhanced our ability to reach a broad audience through our regular online sessions.

Visit our partner page on My Health Hub to watch previous webinars and to register for future events, or email ppccn@paediatrics.org.nz for more information.

Whānau Resources

KidsHealth, supported by the Paediatric Society of New Zealand, is the go-to source for whānau seeking trusted child health information and resources.

Here are some links to relevant pages on the KidsHealth website:

Palliative Care For Children in NZ - An Introduction

Grief and Death

What To Do After A Child Has Died

Experiencing Grief After Your Child Has Died

How To Tell Children That Someone Has Died

Network Members

 

Role Name Location
Chair Amanda Evans Wellington
Member Amanda Lyver Christchurch
Member Callum Gately Wellington
Member Claire Ticehurst Auckland
Member Cynthia Ward Hamilton
Member Jessica Beattie New Plymouth
Member Jo Truscott Christchurch
Member Stephen Parkinson Hamilton
Member Kelsey Beck Hamilton
Member / Māori Advisor Kirimoana (Kiri) Pook Wellington
Member (Trainee Representative) Mark Lunn Hamilton / Rotorua
Member  Mary Bond Wellington
Project Coordinator Ranui Maxwell Rotorua

Network News and Updates