Programme aims to improve patient experience and reduce
admissions.
The Scottish Government will extend a successful programme run by
the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS), enabling its Palliative and
End of Life Care team to continue its vital work this year.
This £417,000 investment will enable the dedicated SAS team to
continue transforming care for patients nearing the end of life,
enhancing dignity, comfort, and choice while reducing
pressure on emergency services.
The team has developed 30 alternative care pathways to
Emergency Departments, including direct referrals to hospices and
cancer support helplines. These pathways ensure patients receive
the right care, in the right place, at the right time—often in
the comfort of their own homes.
This approach helps improve their quality of life in the final
stages, allowing clinicians to provide more compassionate care
tailored to each person's specific needs.
In 2023-24 alone, it led to a:
- A reduction of 1,600 patients conveyed to hospital.
- 1,451 fewer ambulance attendances in 2023/24 compared to the
previous year.
- 4000 staff trained in palliative care support.
Health Secretary said:
"The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that everyone
who needs it can access high-quality, timely, and
well-coordinated palliative care. The work of the Palliative and
End of Life Care Team is a fantastic example of what can be
achieved through partnership working, and I am pleased that we
are able to provide this funding to extend their vital work."
Michael Dickson OBE, Chief Executive of the Scottish Ambulance
Service said: “We welcome this funding, which will help us build
on the success of previous work and will further develop our
specialist capability to support patients with palliative and
end-of-life needs across Scotland.
“The funding will expand training, deepen our partnership working
with health and social care partners and further improve patient
experience, dignity, and choice at the end of life.”
Background
‘Palliative Care Matters
for All', published this month by the Scottish Government, is
a five-year strategy produced in partnership with NHS Scotland,
charities, health and social care professionals, and people with
experience of palliative care services.
Established in 2019 as a pilot in NHS Forth Valley, the
partnership expanded nationally in 2022 with the formation of the
dedicated Palliative and End of Life Care Team.
