Closer ties needed over palliative care

Primary care trusts need to work with social
services and voluntary organisations to offer more psychosocial
support to people who are dying, claims a report from the King’s
Fund.

While
progress has been made in managing the physical symptoms of
terminal illness, less progress has been made in providing the
emotional, social and practical help, known as psychosocial
support.

The
report suggests that primary care trusts have the power to improve
the situation through their responsibilities for health service
provision and commissioning.

It
states that collaborative working – including joint commissioning –
between social services, PCTs and primary and community services,
is key to expanding the provision of palliative care and developing
clearer packages of care.

–
Psychosocial Support for Dying People from 020 7307
2591.