All of us at some point will have friends, colleagues, and family members who have a progressive and/or advanced condition that is life-limiting or life-shortening. Babies, children, young people and adults with such conditions require palliative and end of life care and support, as do the families and carers who look after them. Importantly, palliative care includes, but is not limited to, end of life care.
The challenge we face is enabling people to live and die well, on their own terms. Care and support focus on improving quality of life and providing timely and effective responses to physical, psychological, social, and spiritual concerns, working with families, communities and carers as
equal partners in care.
In the Strategic Framework for Action on Palliative and End of Life Care, the Scottish Government made 10 commitments towards a national vision that by 2021, everyone in Scotland who needs palliative care and end-of-life care will have access to it. These commitments are part of wider public service reform, as set out in the Health and Social Care Delivery Plan** which emphasizes the importance of ensuring meaningful conversations and puts personal outcomes at the heart of service delivery