Palliative and end of life care is the active, holistic care of patients with advanced progressive illness.

This Strategy identifies palliative and end of life care as a continuum of care that can evolve as a person’s condition progresses.

This is an integral part of the care delivered by all health and social care professionals, and indeed by families and carers, to those living with, and dying from any advanced, progressive and incurable conditions.

Palliative and end of life care focuses on the person rather than the disease and aims to ensure quality of life for those living with an advanced noncurative condition.

This 5 year Strategy provides a vision and direction for service planning and delivery.  It has been developed and should be implemented within the existing legal framework.