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Palliative Care Service - Information for people, their families and carers
8.00am to 4.00pm
Monday -Friday, Weekends and Public Holidays
Port Macquarie Community Palliative Care - Telephone 0418 971 359
If unanswered, leave your name and phone number. A nurse will return your call.
Please note there is no after-hours Palliative Care Service from 7.00pm to 8.00am
If you require advice after hours advice call
Healthdirect Helpline
Provides free health advice and information
1800 022 222
24 hours a day, 7 days a week
If you are in need of after-hours medical treatment, contact the on call GP for your practice, present to the Emergence Department of Port Macquarie Base Hospital or call an ambulance on 000 (triple zero)
Hastings Macleay Palliative Care Service
Hastings Macleay Palliative Care Service
NSW Department of Health, Mid North Coast Local Health District
When Someone Has Died at Home
When Someone Has Died at Home
Now that your loved one has died, what do you do?
Now that your loved one has died, what do you do?
Please click on the 'V' symbols
to see further information.
Please click on the 'V' symbols
to see further information.
Step 1: Take care of yourself
Stay calm and collect your thoughts; there is no rush to act. If you are alone, consider calling a friend or relative for support; there is no need to call the Police.
Step 2: Care for your loved one
Within the first hour or so, it is advisable to lie them flat if possible and ensure they are lying straight in the bed.
You can support their neck in a neutral position with a rolled towel.
Keep the room cool with a fan or air-conditioner if possible.
This might be a time to attend to any religious or cultural needs.
Step 3: Arranging verification of death
A Registered Nurse, Medical Practitioner, or Paramedic needs to verify that your loved one has died. This includes checking for a pulse, breathing, and a heartbeat, and assessing the pupils.
During office hours: Contact the Palliative Care Team; they will visit the home to attend the verification. Your General Practitioner may also attend if available.
Overnight: If you do not feel comfortable waiting until morning, contact NSW Ambulance and advise them of an 'expected death at home'. Note that Paramedics do not transport the body.
Step 4: Collection by the funeral director
Once verification has occurred, you can contact the funeral director to collect your loved one. They can be contacted out-of-hours even if you have not yet nominated a specific director. You can decide the timing of the collection with them.
The Medical Certificate of Cause of Death is usually completed by your GP within the next 48 hours, typically at the funeral director's premises.
Information for the Funeral Director
Information for the Funeral Director
Immediate Information Needed
Surname and first names
Age and date of birth
Marital status
Date and time of death
Regular doctor's name
Religion
Cremation or burial preference
Additional Information Required Later
Place of birth
Father’s name and mother’s maiden name
Marriage details (place, age, and all marriages)
Children’s names and ages
Type of pension, if any
Informant’s details (name, address, relationship)
National Palliative Care Week 2026
10 - 16 May 2026
Getting to the heart of it: Big Questions. Real Answers
https://palliativecare.org.au/national-palliative-care-week
Every day in Australia, over 450 people across the age spectrum die of life-limiting illnesses. Every one of them could benefit from palliative care - care that is their human right, care that can enrich their final days, and care that too many people still miss out on.
With the support of the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care, National Palliative Care Week opens conversations, raises awareness, and advocates for better access to and acceptance of Palliative and end-of-life care.
Compassionate Communities Australia
Compassionate Communities Australia supports communities to reclaim and own their central role in caring, dying and grieving. We actively promote the role of community based caregiving networks and our collective ability to engage with serious illness and death.
Our purpose is to build the capacity of Compassionate Communities across Australia in their endeavours to enable people to care, die and grieve supported by their community.
Website: Compassionate Communities Australia | Home page
Link : https://compassionatecommunities.au/.
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