Views are being sought on a new strategy which looks to ensure access to ‘well-coordinated, timely and high-quality’ care when people reach the end of their lives or face bereavement.

The new palliative care strategy would commit the government to equitably deliver palliative care and raise the standard of support offered at the end of a person’s life by 2030.

It will also seek to deliver an approach to using data that better understands people’s experiences, and Scotland’s current and future needs to deliver personalised palliative care.

The consultation to provide feedback on the draft strategy is open from today until January 2025.

Launching the call for views, Public Health Minister Jenni Minto said:

“Talking more openly about palliative care is the first step to understanding how and when it can benefit us – often at a much earlier stage and for longer than most people realise.

“This consultation is important as many of us at some point in our lives will need to have conversations with people close to us about serious illness, death and loss.

“We’re asking the public to share their views with us to help shape our new strategy, because palliative care matters to us all.”  

The SNP committed to develop a national strategy for palliative and end of life care in its 2021 manifesto after delivering a strategy framework for palliative care six years prior.

The draft strategy has been developed in collaboration with the palliative care community and people who have experience of palliative care.

Palliative care is holistic care that prevents and relieves suffering through the early identification, assessment and management of pain and other problems – whether physical, mental, social or spiritual.

An ageing population with more complex needs, means more people will need access to palliative care in the future.

Partners in delivery

The government says the final version of the strategy will outline more clearly the actions and responsibilities for achieving this across health and social care systems.

It comes as Scottish parliament’s health and social care committee hears evidence on legislation looking to introduce assisted dying for terminally ill adults in Scotland.

Scottish Liberal Democrat Liam McArthur MSPs who has introduced the assisted dying bill has said that too many people face an “undignified and sometimes painful death” under our current system.

However, this week also saw the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care write that Westminster’s oversight of medicines and professions may prevent Scottish parliament from introducing assisted dying.

Scottish government Palliative Care Clinical Lead and Chair of the Palliative Care Strategic Steering Group Dr Kirsty Boyd said:

“I have seen firsthand how timely, high quality palliative care can really make a difference to people and their families in supporting them to live their life to the full.

“Palliative care focuses on what matters to each adult or child and how we help them live as well as possible for however long that is. What counts when someone is dying is that they are well cared for, comfortable and with the people closest to them wherever they are.”

The call for views closes on 10 January 2025.

Read more: Dementia long-term care services need urgent reform; Assisted Dying Bill - The thin edge of the wedge?; Independent Living Fund to reopen; Carers facing full force of health and care crisis; MSPs ask for views on assisted dying; Feeley: NCS still an opportunity for transformation