Thank you for referring to Karuna.

Karuna is an in-home specialist palliative care service for people living with a life limiting illness, along with their family by: 

    • tailoring care to individual needs
    • alleviating all types of pain and suffering – physical, social, emotional, and spiritual
    • enhancing quality of life and independence
    • respecting end of life wishes 

Our specialist community services team consists of:

    • Specialist Clinical Nurses 
    • Specialist Palliative Medical Officer
    • Social Workers
    • Spiritual Care Practitioner

Service hours and location
The service is offered seven days a week at no cost and currently covers Brisbane North and into Caboolture, Redcliffe and Bribie Island.

Our services are best suited to people who: 

    • have poor or deteriorating health because of one or multiple life limiting conditions, despite treatment and management (e.g. Supportive and Palliative Care Indicators Tool – SPICT™)  
    • wish to focus on quality of life: strengthening of physical, emotional, social and spiritual well being;
    • have a GP or specialist doctor that will hold the primary governance of their on-going medical support;
    • have consented to a referral to Karuna for in-home support (and/or substitute decision maker);
    • reside within the Karuna catchment area of Brisbane central/north, Redcliffe, Caboolture and/or Bribie Island* (Metro North Hospital and Health Service Map).

*People referred to Karuna that reside within this area will receive care at no cost to them. If the person resides outside of this catchment, they still may be able to receive Karuna in-home palliative care however there may be a fee involved.

To make a referral to Karuna, please:

  1. Call (07) 3632 8308 between Monday to Friday 8am to 4pm to discuss a potential referral with our Clinical Intake Nursing Coordinator;
  2. Complete the Karuna Referral Form including any relevant supporting documentation (e.g. relevant specialist letters, doctor’s notes, advance care planning documentation, discharge/health summaries, current medication list, medical imaging, pathology results etc.);
  3. The referred person will be contacted directly to arrange the first admission visit in the home;
  4. As the referee, you will be kept informed of the proposed care plan and progress throughout our care.