Palliative care is care for people whose illness can no longer be cured such as cancer, heart or lung disease, kidney failure, dementia, motor neurone disease and multiple sclerosis. It also supports people important to them.

Palliative care focuses on quality of life and aims to help people live as well as possible. This includes managing pain and other symptoms, as well as providing emotional, social and spiritual support.

Having a palliative illness can feel overwhelming. However, it is still possible to have a good quality of life. Setting small, realistic goals can help build your confidence and help you to continue enjoying meaningful activities.

Palliative care can be provided at any age, from the time of diagnosis onwards, and in a range of settings such as at home, in hospital or in a hospice.

Many professionals provide palliative care as part of their role, such as your GP, community nursing and hospital ward staff. Teamwork is important to make sure your needs are fully met. The specialist palliative care team may be involved in your care if your needs become more complex.

Care is planned with you and those important to you.  It is not always easy to ask for help, and many people feel they should cope on their own. However, having the right support can make a big difference for you and your family or carers.

The information in this web resource is for adults aged 18 and over.