Palliative medicine physicians care for patients with life-limiting illnesses, making their lives more comfortable even though their condition is deteriorating. Symptom control is a large part of their work, but they also deal with social and psychological difficulties and get involved in family and carer needs.
Traditionally, most referrals to palliative care services have been for cancer, but increasingly palliative physicians deal with other illnesses such as end-stage lung, heart and renal disease, and degenerative neurological conditions. The emphasis on rehabilitation and maintenance of function in deteriorating conditions has grown over the years.
Consultants in palliative medicine work within multiprofessional teams and services. In hospitals and the community, the role of these teams is advisory – the overall responsibility for medical care remains with the hospital consultant or the general practitioner. In specialist palliative care units, palliative medicine consultants have overall medical responsibility for the patients. Because palliative care services are funded by a mixture of NHS and voluntary sector money, consultants in palliative medicine often have a major role in local strategic planning of services and in negotiating with commissioning bodies.
Related RCP publications
- Consultant physicians working with patients, fourth edition (2008)
- Palliative care services: meeting the needs of patients (2007)
Map of Medicine
The RCP has been working with Map of Medicine since 2008 to produce web-based knowledge support tools. There are 300 evidence-based clinical care maps covering all major areas of healthcare; including care maps for specific specialties.
| Care map | Specialty | Date of expiry | External link to Map of Medicine |
| Death and bereavement | Palliative medicine | 27 January 2012 | Access the death and bereavement care map |
Specialty training
For information about specialty training in palliative medicine, go to the Joint Royal Colleges of Physicians Postgraduate Training Board (JRCPTB) website.
Specialist society
2010 Consultant Census
The RCP has completed our census of working physicians in 2010. Attached below is a breakdown of the report with results for this specialty.
Patient information
| Resource | Date |
|---|---|
| Concise guidelines: Advance care planning | 28 November 2011 |
| Consultant physicians working with patients - palliative medicine | 24 January 2012 |
| 2010 Census specialty reports and commentaries | 12 December 2011 |
| News | Date |
|---|---|
| 2011 Consultant Census online survey now open | 15 November 2011 |
| 'Nil by mouth' should be a last resort rather than the first option | 06 January 2010 |
| Commentary | Date |
|---|---|
| Palliative care improves, but dying is every doctor’s business | 01 February 2012 |
| Press releases | Date |
|---|---|
| Patients receive high-quality care at the end of life | 01 December 2011 |
| Webstreamed events | Date |
|---|---|
| Harveian Oration 2011 | 18 October 2011 |
