Below you will find the main palliative care policy documents relating for Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
A more extensive list of palliative care policy documents and palliative care guidelines can be here: The Palliative Hub – Professional
This policy offers an opportunity to develop the governance, coordination, and delivery of palliative care services in line with existing and emerging structures such as the HSE Health Regions as well as programmes such as the Enhanced Community Care (ECC), National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP), and National Traveller Health Action Plan (NTHAP).
The HSE National Adult Palliative Care Policy Implementation Plan sets out a detailed roadmap to implement the Department’s of Health’s 2024 National Adult Palliative Care Policy. The plan was developed in partnership with statutory, voluntary and community stakeholders, and includes measures to strengthen public understanding of palliative care, develop new facilities, enhance the palliative care workforce, and deliver more palliative care education to health care professionals.
See press release for further information (Link),
This policy provides a foundation upon which children’s palliative care services can be developed in Ireland. It is divided into three sections. The first section defines and describes palliative care for children with life-limiting conditions and draws on national and international developments in this small and highly specialised field of health care. The second section describes services as they are currently provided. The third section gives clear direction for the future development of palliative care for children.
This document sets out the strategic direction for the palliative and end-of-life care of ill and dying children and young people in the North for the next ten years. It follows public consultation in early 2014 on 18 proposed recommendations aimed at enhancing the existing care and support for children and young people with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions, as well as their families.
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.
