Overview

The Access to Palliative Care Bill aims to ensure everyone in England with life-limiting illnesses has equal access to high-quality palliative care. It mandates improved services, training for healthcare professionals, and increased research in the field.

Description

This bill legally requires Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) to provide comprehensive palliative care services. This includes:

• Guaranteed Access: Ensuring access to pain management, support aligning with patient preferences, and information about their condition.
• Service Provision: Arranging for specialist palliative care services available in various settings (homes, hospitals, hospices, care homes), including direct hospice admissions.
• 24/7 Support: Providing round-the-clock telephone advice from palliative care specialists and access to essential medication.
• Integrated Care: Promoting collaboration between healthcare providers for integrated care delivery.
• Training & Education: Mandating training for all healthcare professionals on pain management, communication skills, the Mental Capacity Act 2005, and supporting families.
• Research: Facilitating research to improve palliative care services.
• Care Quality Commission (CQC) Oversight: Requiring the CQC to evaluate palliative care provision during service inspections.

Government Spending

The bill doesn't specify exact figures for increased government spending. However, implementing the required improvements to palliative care services, training programs, and research initiatives will likely necessitate significant additional funding.

Groups Affected

• People with life-limiting illnesses: Will benefit from improved access to high-quality palliative care, potentially leading to better quality of life.
• Healthcare professionals: Will be required to undertake additional training, potentially impacting workload. They will also be responsible for implementing the changes outlined in the bill.
• Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs): Will be responsible for planning and funding the expanded palliative care services, requiring significant resource allocation.
• Families and carers: Will receive more support and be more involved in decision-making processes.
• Hospices and palliative care providers: May see increased demand for their services and potential funding increases (but also increased responsibilities).

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