Palliative Care (Scotland) Bill

# Palliative Care (Scotland) Bill The Palliative Care (Scotland) Bill addresses significant gaps in end-of-life care provision across Scotland by establishing a legislative framework for palliative care services. Currently, there is no statutory duty requiring health boards and local authorities to deliver comprehensive palliative care, leading to inconsistent access and quality across different regions. The bill responds to concerns raised by patients, families, and healthcare professionals about the variable availability of specialist palliative care, limitations in general palliative care training, and insufficient integration between hospital, community, and hospice services. By creating a legal obligation to provide palliative care, the bill seeks to ensure that all Scots with a life-limiting illness have equitable access to high-quality care regardless of where they live. The bill's key provisions establish a statutory duty on NHS boards and local authorities to assess palliative care needs in their areas and develop integrated strategies to meet them. It requires the Scottish Government to set national standards and guidance for palliative care provision, and places duties on healthcare providers to ensure staff training in palliative care principles. The legislation also establishes a national Palliative Care Committee to coordinate services and monitor implementation. This member's bill reflects growing recognition that palliative care should be considered a core NHS service rather than a specialist or discretionary provision, aiming to embed person-centred, holistic end-of-life care throughout the Scottish health and social care system.

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