The Scottish Government has launched ‘Palliative Care Matters for All’, a bold new five-year strategy aimed at transforming palliative and end-of-life care across Scotland. 

Developed in partnership with NHS Scotland, charities, health and social care professionals, and people with lived experience, the strategy sets out a vision where everyone - regardless of age, diagnosis, or location - can access timely, high-quality, and compassionate care. 

Key measures include: 

• Greater integration of specialist palliative care into hospitals and community services. 

• Improved public understanding of life-shortening conditions, death, dying, and bereavement. 

• A new Scottish Palliative Care Learning Hub to strengthen training and education. 

• A 24/7 advice line for healthcare professionals delivering palliative care. 

This strategy is supported by a delivery plan for 2025–2028, outlining the steps needed to ensure equitable access and long-term sustainability of care. 

Jacki Smart, Chair of the Scottish Hospice Leadership Group and CEO of ACCORD Hospice, welcomed the strategy: 

“This strategy rightly recognises the vital role of specialist and community-led palliative care, and we are encouraged to see commitments to improved training, public understanding, and better integration across settings. 

As leaders of Scotland’s hospice sector, we hope this marks a turning point – one that brings meaningful improvements to access, equity, and long-term sustainability of palliative and end-of-life care across the country. 

We look forward to working with the Scottish Government, NHS Scotland, and partners to deliver on the ambitions set out in the strategy.” 

This is a significant moment for Scotland’s health and social care system. It reflects a growing understanding that palliative care is not a niche service, but a vital part of how we support people with life-shortening conditions and their families. 

Let’s work together to ensure that palliative care truly matters for all. 

Read the strategy: https://www.gov.scot/publications/palliative-care-matters-palliative-care-strategy-202530/