Health Minister, Michael McGimpsey, today announced the development of a Strategy for Palliative and End of Life Care by the end of 2010.

Services for patients with palliative care needs have developed considerably over the past decade. The aim of the Strategy will be to improve the quality of care for adult patients with advanced progressive illness in Northern Ireland.

The Strategy will also make recommendations on enhancing palliative care skills among healthcare professionals to ensure a co-ordinated, integrated approach.

The Minister said: “I am committed to providing people with the highest quality care at all stages of their treatment, including palliative and end of life care.

“Research has found that approximately two-thirds of people in the UK would, if they had a terminal illness, like to die at home, yet for the majority this isn’t currently possible. The Strategy will help ensure palliative care services, wherever possible, will be provided in a way that meets the particular needs and wishes of patients, their carers and families.

“My Department will be seeking the views of a range of stakeholders, particularly the views of patients and carers, as the Strategy is developed.”

“To ensure such services are responsive and tailored to individual needs, I have already set a target that, by March 2011, each Health and Social Care Trust should have in place multi-disciplinary palliative and end of life care teams.”

The Strategy will build on this commitment and set out the future direction of services for this important aspect of patient care.

The Minister concluded: “My Department will, in developing the Strategy, also continue to work closely with statutory health and social care professionals, and voluntary and community organisations.”