During First Minister’s questions Mid-Scotland and Fife MSP Murdo Fraser quizzed Alex Salmond on what is being done to improve the level of palliative care treatment for non-cancer patients.
The First Minister responded to calls to improve training by stating that the Scottish Government will lead initiatives to remove taboos surrounding palliative care and will also work on training provision for doctors and nurses.
A joint research project from Marie Curie, Edinburgh University and NHS Lothian uncovered deficiencies in GP training for dealing with end of life treatment. Only 20% of patients with organ failure and dementia/frailty were recognised for a palliative care approach.
Commenting Murdo Fraser MSP said:
“The benefits of palliative care to a patient’s mental and physical well-being are universally recognised. However, too few non-cancer patients are being identified for this treatment.
“It was pleasing to hear the First Minister agree with the points I made and look towards to seeing the taboos surrounding end of life care removed as well as looking to include GP palliative training care within their national strategy.
“There must be greater identification and implementation of the palliative care strategy. Regardless of illness every patient must have the option of a palliative care approach.”
ENDS
Chamber Exchange included below:
Murdo Fraser: The report from Marie Curie, NHS Lothian and the University of Edinburgh to which the First Minister referred found that eight out of 10 non-cancer patients are not identified for palliative care and that those who do receive it often get it too late to benefit fully. The report also found that many primary care staff have difficulty—understandably so—raising death with their patients.
Will the Scottish Government instruct a review of the training and support for primary care staff to help to ensure that more non-cancer patients access palliative care in the last year of their lives?
The First Minister: That is a constructive suggestion, and I will certainly see that it is considered.
As Murdo Fraser knows, the report made four specific recommendations. He mentioned one of them, which was to do with the taboo around talking about death. The report suggested that the Scottish Government should lead a public discourse on that important subject. We agree, and we welcome support for that initiative.
We agree that training for doctors and nurses should be included as part of the support that is provided for professionals to have conversations about these difficult subjects, and that will be developed alongside the national plan for palliative care. We think that the other recommendations that the report helpfully made are extremely positive, and if Murdo Fraser would like to discuss matters in detail with the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing, I am sure that that can be arranged.