New Waikato Partnership aims to transform end-of-life care for people with disabilities
Date: 15 Sep 2025
A groundbreaking collaboration in the Waikato region is reshaping how end-of-life care is delivered for people with intellectual disabilities in residential facilities — bringing together expertise, compassion, and a shared commitment to better outcomes.
The partnership involves IDEA Services, Hospice Waikato, ConneXu, and Health New Zealand Waikato Disability Support Services (DSS), who have joined forces to create a more coordinated, person-centred approach to palliative care for people living in residential facilities, and supported by disability services.
“This really matters,” says Kim Fuller, Clinical Nurse Consultant at IDEA Services. “People with intellectual disabilities often have complex health needs — and when they face life-limiting conditions, the health and disability systems can struggle to respond in a unified, coordinated way.”
The need for change became clear in 2023, following a challenging situation involving a client whose end-of-life care placed immense pressure on everyone involved — the person themselves, their whānau, and the professionals supporting them. “It was distressing for all parties,” Kim explains. “And it really highlighted the gap in how we, as a sector, approach palliative care for people with disabilities. Sometimes it’s as fundamental as recognising that the person may have no understanding of death — and helping whānau navigate that reality.”
At the same time, Hospice Waikato had identified the need to build its knowledge and capability around supporting people with disabilities — particularly in partnership with disability providers.
Seeing this clear alignment, Prue Lennox, IDEA Services Director of Nursing, reached out to Bel Macfie, Director of Nursing at Hospice Waikato. Together, they brought stakeholders to the table and laid the foundation for a unique, cross-sector collaboration — one that has grown into a dynamic, evolving partnership.
The result of this work is a tailored palliative care pathway designed specifically for disability providers. It provides a clear, practical framework to support proactive planning, confident decision-making, and strong collaboration with health and hospice services. “It’s a unique pathway,” says Bel. “And we’re confident it will empower disability providers to plan and deliver client-centred, thoughtful, dignified care that’s right for each individual and their whānau.”
The team behind the initiative is proud of what’s been achieved — and hopeful about what’s next. “We’d love to see this shared across New Zealand,” says Kim. “Because every person deserves compassionate, high-quality care at the end of life — and this is what’s possible when services work together with a shared purpose.”
You can read the Palliative Care Disabilities Pathway document below.
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