The Scottish Government has launched a new palliative care strategy - 'Palliative Care Matters for All’.

The five-year strategy has been produced in partnership with NHS Scotland, charities, health and social care professionals, and people with experience of palliative care services.

The strategy includes measures like better integrating specialist palliative care into hospital and community services, improving public information about living with life-shortening conditions, death, dying and bereavement support community-led networks to help people talk openly about these issues, and the launch of a new Scottish Palliative Care Learning Hub to strengthen training and education.

Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health Jenni Minto said: “We want everyone in Scotland – regardless of age, diagnosis, or location – to have access to timely, high quality and person-centred palliative care.

“This strategy is rooted in the voices of people with experience of palliative care, alongside the expertise of professionals, carers, and the third sector. Working in partnership, we hope to ensure that palliative care is compassionate, person-centred, and available to all who need it.”

Mark Hazelwood, CEO of the Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care, said: “The care and support received by people living with serious illness or approaching the end of life matters enormously to everyone at some point. I hope that the new strategy will deliver a step change in understanding - that palliative care is not a niche activity but rather a major thread running through the current challenges and opportunities for Scotland’s health and social care system. There is a lot which can, with the right support, be improved. We look forward to working closely with Scottish Government and other partners to maximise the strategy’s positive impact.”