The Society for Acute Medicine (SAM) is supporting a new policy position launched by the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) on end-of-life and palliative care.
It calls on government and health system leaders to transform how dying is recognised and supported across the NHS and social care.
The RCP is calling on government to:
- launch a public awareness campaign about end-of-life and palliative care
- fund professional education and improvement to support better end-of-life care planning and delivery
- commission a national strategy, including a service framework, common dataset and aligned workforce planning.
Dr Nick Murch, president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “Every doctor will care for people who are approaching the end of their life. Yet too often, this phase is seen as unexpected or a last-minute crisis. With the right support and planning, we can ensure more people are able to die in comfort, in a place of their choosing, and with dignity.”
Read the full position statement at www.rcp.ac.uk/policy-and-campaigns/policy-documents/rcp-position-statement-on-palliative-and-end-of-life-care/.