This section of the website contains the main policy documents relating to adult palliative care in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
This policy offers an opportunity to develop the governance, coordination, and delivery of palliative care services in line with existing and emerging structures such as the HSE Health Regions as well as programmes such as the Enhanced Community Care (ECC), National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP), and National Traveller Health Action Plan (NTHAP). gov – National Adult Palliative Care Policy (www.gov.ie)
You can access the document here: National Adult Palliative Care Policy 2024
The HSE National Adult Palliative Care Policy Implementation Plan sets out a detailed roadmap to implement the Department’s of Health’s 2024 National Adult Palliative Care Policy. The plan was developed in partnership with statutory, voluntary and community stakeholders, and includes measures to strengthen public understanding of palliative care, develop new facilities, enhance the palliative care workforce, and deliver more palliative care education to health care professionals.
See press release for further information
See link to the plan here
The Palliative Care A to Z was published on the HSE website in early 2026 as a result of collaboration between the National Clinical Programme for Palliative Care and the HSE Communications and Public Affairs team.
It provides public facing information for patients, families and carers in particular, but also for healthcare staff. It explains what palliative care is, who it is for, how it works in practice, and how it fits alongside other healthcare services in Ireland in a plain English format.
The Palliative Care A to Z describes when palliative care may be appropriate, how care is planned and reviewed, and the holistic nature of supports provided, including symptom management, psychological and emotional support, practical assistance, and support for carers.
See link here: https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/palliative-care/
The framework describes core competences and discipline specific competences for twelve health and social care disciplines. It is envisioned that the framework will inform academic curricula and professional development programmes and so foster greater inter-professional and inter-organisational collaboration in palliative care provision.
You can access the document here: Palliative Care Competence Framework Development
The Ombudsman report, “A Good Death” highlights complaints received by the Ombudsman relating to end of life care, in a series of reflections on common themes. The report focuses on opportunities for learning and improvement particularly with regard to difficulties associated with communication regarding end of life care. The Ombudsman’s Casebook is a quarterly report summarising complaints received.
A Good Death: Progress Report 2018 was published September 2018 on developments in End of Life Care in Irish Hospitals since the publication of the Ombudsman’s report in 2014.
You can access the document here: A Good Death – Office of the Ombudsman
The vision of this Strategy is that any person with an advanced non-curative condition, lives well and dies well irrespective of their condition or care setting. This requires a philosophy of palliative and end of life care that is person-centred and which takes a holistic approach to planning, co-ordinating and delivering high quality reliable care, enabling patients to retain control, dignity and crucially, choice in how and where their care is delivered to the end of their life.
You can access the document here: Living Matters:Dying Matters
The Competency Assessment Tool has been developed by a multidisciplinary group, currently practicing within the Health & Social Care Trusts, the independent and the voluntary sector within Northern Ireland. The competencies within the tool can be interpreted and applied across the range of sectors, settings and disciplines which provide palliative and end-of-life care. They are inclusive of all adult populations, regardless of diagnosis, culture or need. The Assessment Tool will assist individuals to build on the skills they already have, shaping professional practice in accordance with the document Living Matters: Dying Matters, a Strategy for Palliative and End of Life Care for Adults in Northern Ireland (Department of Health and Social Services and Public Safety, 2010).
You can access the document here: Palliative and End-of-Life Care Competency Assessment Tool
