Therapy
Palliative Care
Palliative care focuses on relieving symptoms and improving quality of life for people with a serious or life-limiting illness, at any stage.
Quick answer
Palliative Care: what it is, why it's done and what happens
Palliative care is holistic care that manages pain and other symptoms and supports emotional, social and spiritual needs. It can be given alongside treatments aimed at controlling the illness, not only at the end of life.
- Why it is done: It is used for people with serious illnesses such as advanced cancer, heart, lung, kidney or neurological conditions, to improve comfort and quality of life for them and their families.
- What happens: A team including doctors, nurses and other professionals assesses and manages symptoms, adjusts medicines, and provides support and planning.
What it is
Palliative care is holistic care that manages pain and other symptoms and supports emotional, social and spiritual needs. It can be given alongside treatments aimed at controlling the illness, not only at the end of life.
Why it is done
It is used for people with serious illnesses such as advanced cancer, heart, lung, kidney or neurological conditions, to improve comfort and quality of life for them and their families.
What happens
A team including doctors, nurses and other professionals assesses and manages symptoms, adjusts medicines, and provides support and planning. It can be given at home, in hospital, in a hospice or in care homes.
Recovery
Palliative care is about comfort and quality of life rather than recovery in the usual sense. Care is tailored and reviewed regularly as needs change, with support extended to family and carers.
Good to know
Risks and things to consider
It is supportive care with few risks; the focus is on comfort. It does not aim to cure the illness, though it can be provided alongside active treatment, and can start early rather than only near the end of life.
Education and reference only. This explains the procedure in general terms and is not medical advice. Your own care, risks and recovery will be explained by the team looking after you.
Answers
Palliative Care: frequently asked questions
Is palliative care only for the end of life?
No. Palliative care can be given at any stage of a serious illness, alongside treatments aimed at controlling it. End-of-life care is one part of palliative care, focused on the final period.
Where is palliative care provided?
It can be given wherever the person is — at home, in hospital, in a hospice or in a care home — by specialist teams and everyday healthcare staff working together.
Related
Other therapy
Sources
Where this is drawn from
- NHS — Tests and treatments
- NICE — cancer treatment guidance
- Relevant Royal College / professional body
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