UK research briefing on palliative and end of life care
1st August 2022
The Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology is a body within the UK Parliament. POST produces impartial, peer-reviewed briefings for the UK Parliament.
A POST Note is a four-page review of emerging areas of research. To ensure these briefings are comprehensive and balanced, insights are sought from the expert community for contribution and peer-review. This includes key stakeholders from academia, government, industry and the third sector.
POST notes are used by Members of the House of Commons and the House of Lords and UK Parliament staff to facilitate evidence review and inform decision-making, and it is a powerful route to delivering impact outside academia.
The POST note on Palliative and End of Life Care published on 27 July 2022 summarises key components of palliative and end of life care and recent changes in UK policy, including the recent Health and Care Act (2022). An estimated 100,000 people in the UK that could benefit from palliative care die without receiving it each year. Experts have highlighted that access to palliative and end of life care may improve quality of life for patient and family and reduce symptom burden. The Act places a duty on Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) to commission services or facilities for palliative care. The POST note presents evidence of inequalities in accessible provision on palliative and end of life care, and the impact of Covid-19.