Royal College of Pharmacy welcomes government action on palliative care

The Royal College of Pharmacy has welcomed the government’s acceptance of the Health and Social Care Committee’s recommendations to improve access to palliative and end-of-life care, including plans for a 24/7 care framework and a single patient record. Amandeep Doll, director for England at the Royal College of Pharmacy, said: “We welcome the government's acceptance of recommendations to improve access to palliative and end-of-life care. “Timely access to medicines and support from pharmacy teams must be a core part of any successful model of palliative care. Pharmacists help people manage symptoms, access urgent medicines and receive care in the setting of their choice. “We are also pleased to see support for a single patient record. Better sharing of patient information across healthcare services would improve communication, support safer clinical decisions and help deliver more joined-up care. “Our own position on palliative care aligns with many of the recommendations. Our Daffodil Standards provide a quality improvement framework, which helps the whole pharmacy team to improve the care provided to patients needing palliative and end of life care. “As the NHS seeks to deliver more care closer to home through the 10-year Health Plan, pharmacists must be fully integrated into multidisciplinary teams so patients and their families can access timely, coordinated support when they most need it.” The College will continue working with partners to ensure pharmacy is central to delivering high-quality, accessible palliative care services. Read more news stories.