That's the question Bathurst voters will be asking themselves this morning following an announcement on Tuesday that the region would be receiving two new palliative care beds to improve end of life care in our community.

The beds are part of a $500,000 package that also includes a specialist palliative care registered nurse (working four days a week) and additional social work services to support both the dying and their loved ones.

There's no doubt the package is needed and, indeed, Bathurst MP Paul Toole made providing additional palliative care services one of his pre-election promises last year.

Only problem is, when that announcement was made the commitment was for four more palliative care beds to meet Bathurst's growing need - and the beds were supposed to be operational by the end of 2019.

But the original announcement also said the government would be calling for expressions of interest from other service providers to contribute to the provision of Bathurst's palliative care services.

"We want this expression of interest process to allow other service providers to demonstrate how they can provide a service that supports the clinical needs for end-of-life patients, in an environment that is peaceful and comfortable both for the patient and their family," Mr Toole said last February.

It seems a lot can change in 12 months. The test, however, will be whether the new plan announced by Mr Toole on Tuesday actually addresses the community's needs and hopes.

The overall package has been designed with a view to making it easier for people to die in their own home, surrounded by family and friends, if that is what they want.

And if the result of more people wanting to die at home is that the decision to deliver just two new palliative care beds instead of the promised four properly reflects the real need within a hospital setting, then the state government - and Mr Toole - cannot be criticised for changing the plan.

But if it's found that four new beds would properly meet the demand and that two new beds simply won't be enough, then we can expect to hear very quickly - and loudly - that Bathurst has again been short-changed.

And what could be worse than short-changing our loved ones in their very last days with us?