When someone you love is living with a serious or terminal illness, the quality of nursing care matters more than ever. Wattletree Health Group provides expert palliative nursing care at home across Melbourne by experienced, AHPRA-registered Division 1 registered nurses — compassionate, clinical care that allows your loved one to remain where they feel most at peace.
What is Palliative Nursing Care?
Palliative care focuses on improving quality of life for patients living with serious, chronic, or life-limiting illness. It is not only for the final days of life — palliative nursing support can begin at any stage of a serious illness, alongside curative or disease-modifying treatment.
Our experienced nurses provide skilled clinical support to manage symptoms, administer medications, and care for the whole person — not just the condition. For care specifically focused on the final days and hours of life, see our End of Life Care at Home page.
Our Palliative Nursing Care Services
- Pain and symptom management — expert clinical management of pain, nausea, breathlessness, agitation, and other distressing symptoms associated with serious illness.
- Medication administration — safe, skilled administration of subcutaneous, oral, and IV medications, including opioids and other controlled drugs, in close liaison with your palliative care team or GP.
- Syringe driver setup and management — our experienced nurses are competent in the setup, programming, and monitoring of syringe drivers (continuous subcutaneous infusion devices) for ongoing symptom management.
- Subcutaneous medication administration — administration of subcutaneous injections for breakthrough pain, nausea, and other symptom management needs.
- Clinical monitoring — regular assessment of the patient’s condition, with proactive communication to GPs, palliative care specialists, and community nurses.
- Wound and skin care — management of wounds, pressure injuries, and skin integrity issues common in palliative patients.
- Personal care assistance — compassionate support with bathing, grooming, repositioning, and comfort measures.
- Respite for carers — day and overnight respite so family carers can rest, knowing their loved one is in experienced clinical hands.
- Family guidance and education — helping families understand what to expect, how to assist with comfort care, and how to access further support.
Why Choose Wattletree Health Group for Palliative Nursing Care?
- Experienced AHPRA-registered nurses — not support workers. Palliative nursing care involves complex medication management and clinical decision-making that requires an experienced registered nurse. Every visit is conducted by an experienced Division 1 RN.
- No waitlists. When someone needs palliative nursing support, waiting isn’t an option. We aim to respond quickly — often the same day or next day.
- Nurse-owned and driven. Wattletree Health Group is owned and operated by nurses. Clinical care and patient dignity are always the priority.
- 24/7 availability. Symptoms and needs don’t follow a schedule. Our nurses are available around the clock, including evenings, weekends, and overnight.
- Coordinated care. We work alongside your GP, palliative care specialist, and community nurses to ensure consistent, well-coordinated care without duplication or gaps.
Who Can Benefit from Palliative Nursing Care at Home?
Our palliative nursing care is appropriate for patients living with:
- Cancer (at any stage)
- Advanced heart failure or respiratory disease
- Chronic kidney disease
- Neurodegenerative conditions (Motor Neurone Disease, Parkinson’s disease, dementia)
- Advanced liver disease
- Any other serious or life-limiting illness where symptom management and quality of life support is needed
Funding Your Palliative Nursing Care
Palliative nursing care at home may be funded through several pathways:
- Private (self-funded) — care can start immediately.
- My Aged Care Home Care Package (HCP) / Support at Home (SAH) — clinical nursing visits including palliative care can be funded through your Home Care Package. My Aged Care also has a dedicated palliative care pathway for eligible clients requiring urgent short-term support.
- NDIS — Wattletree Health Group is a registered NDIS provider. Palliative nursing support may be funded for eligible NDIS participants.
- TAC and WorkSafe — we are approved providers for TAC and WorkSafe clients whose palliative care needs relate to an accident or injury.
Not sure which funding pathway applies? Contact us and we’ll help you understand your options.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between palliative care and end of life care?
Palliative care is a broader approach to care for people living with serious illness — it can begin at any stage and focuses on symptom management and quality of life alongside other treatment. End of life care is a specific phase of palliative care focused on the final days or weeks of life. Wattletree Health Group provides both — see our End of Life Care at Home page for more information.
Can a nurse manage a syringe driver at home?
Yes. Our experienced registered nurses are competent in the setup, monitoring, and management of syringe drivers for continuous symptom control at home. This is one of our most commonly requested palliative care services.
How quickly can palliative nursing care start?
We aim to respond as quickly as possible — often the same day or next day for urgent palliative care needs. There are no waitlists. Contact us and we will work to get a nurse to you as soon as we can.
Can palliative nursing care be funded through My Aged Care?
Yes. Palliative nursing visits can be funded through a My Aged Care Home Care Package (HCP) or Support at Home (SAH) program. My Aged Care also has a dedicated palliative care funding stream for eligible clients. Contact us or your My Aged Care provider to discuss what’s available.
Do I need a referral to access palliative nursing care at home?
No referral is required to become a Wattletree Health Group client. We accept self-referrals, and also referrals from family and friends, GPs, hospitals, My Aged Care Home Care Package (HCP) and Support At Home (SAH) providers, NDIS Support co-ordinators, allied health, and all other healthcare organisations. We are registered NDIS providers, and also approved providers for TAC and WorkSafe.
Talk to Us Today
If you or a loved one needs palliative nursing support at home, Wattletree Health Group is here to help — with experienced nurses, no waitlists, and genuine clinical care delivered with compassion.
Contact us today or call 03 9140 0944. Let us show you the Wattletree Way.
Related Nursing Services
We offer dedicated condition-specific pages for clients and families researching care for a particular diagnosis, including palliative care nursing at home in Melbourne, home nursing for cancer patients in Melbourne, and home nursing for Parkinson’s disease.
Service Areas
Wattletree Health Group provides this service across Greater Melbourne. Click your council area to learn more:
- Banyule
- Bayside
- Boroondara
- Brimbank
- Cardinia
- Casey
- Darebin
- Frankston
- Glen Eira
- Greater Dandenong
- Hobsons Bay
- Hume
- Kingston
- Knox
- Manningham
- Maroondah
- Maribyrnong
- Melbourne
- Melton
- Merri-Bek
- Monash
- Moonee Valley
- Mornington Peninsula
- Nillumbik
- Port Phillip
- Stonnington
- Whitehorse
- Whittlesea
- Wyndham
- Yarra
- Yarra Ranges
Your area not listed? Contact us — we cover all of Greater Melbourne and surrounds.
