RIGHT TO PALLIATIVE CARE PROPOSED.

RIGHT TO PALLIATIVE CARE PROPOSED.

ALL SCOTS SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY PALLIATIVE CARE

A bill to ensure every Scot has the right to high quality palliative care will begin its parliamentary passage on Monday as Gil Paterson MSP reveals the high level of public and cross party support for the proposed Palliative Care (Scotland) bill. Nearly two-thirds of respondents in a public consultation and almost a third of MSPs support the parliamentary progress of the Palliative Care (Scotland) Bill. The objective of the Bill is to secure high-quality palliative care for everyone in Scotland on the basis of need. It offers the prospect of a “good death” for people with life-limiting disease and puts the aims of the Government's “Living and Dying Well” strategy on a statutory footing. Gil Paterson will introduce the Members Bill in Parliament following further consultation on the most appropriate measures of high-quality palliative care for the Scottish healthcare system. Commenting on the prospects of the Bill becoming law, Gil Paterson said: “We have long parliamentary process ahead but the level of support is very encouraging. Our consultation drew over a hundred responses with a clear majority for a new law that will place NHS Boards under a statutory obligation to provide high-quality palliative care and set up reporting arrangements so that quality can be monitored. “There will be many issues around the bill to discuss in the coming months but I am hopeful this bill will win Parliament’s support.” The consultation posed six key questions and the Parliament’s Non Executive Bills Unit noted the following responses in an analysis. 1. The majority of respondents believed that the definition of Palliative Care was appropriate and comprehensive. 2. There was strong support for ensuring that persons suffering from all progressive, life-limiting conditions should be entitled to receive palliative care. 3. Measures of high-quality palliative care contained in the consultation were for the most part, not questioned but others were offered and will now be considered prior to the Bill being introduced to Parliament. 4. Responses to the consultation suggested that implementing the proposal could have a cost. However, it is equally clear that for the majority of respondents this additional cost does not mean that the proposal should not be implemented. Indeed for many respondents the provision of palliative care is essential and the benefits of the care outweigh the costs. 5. It is evident that for some this proposal will mean an additional workload and increased demand upon their resources. However few respondents suggested that these demands would be so significant as to prevent the implementation of the bill. It is clear also that a significant proportion of respondents believe that the primary impact of the proposal would be the benefits it would provide to patients and their families 6. While some concerns were raised about the financial viability of the proposal, more than half of the respondents took the opportunity afforded to welcome the proposal. Indeed it was stressed by a number of those supporting the bill that what is proposed should be the minimum patients come to expect. Gil Paterson will introduce his Members’ Bill to Parliament following further consultation on the most appropriate measures of high-quality palliative care for the Scottish healthcare system.