The government has been asked to set out its ‘expectations’ for the ‘level and standard’ of palliative care that should be provided in England.
The request comes from the Health and Social Care Committee and its expert panel, which is due to launch an independent evaluation of palliative care services in the country.
In a letter to the health and social care secretary, committee chair, Layla Moran, and chair of the committee’s expert panel, professor Jane Dacre, asked the government to provide legislation, regulations, guidance, frameworks or policy documents that set out standards for palliative care.
Wes Streeting was asked to provide such information by 31 January 2025 to help inform the panel’s evaluation.
The bill split opinion among MPs, including those who are former nurses, as well as the wider nursing community.
Ms Moran voted in favour of the bill, but told Parliament at the time that palliative care services are ‘not good enough’ and that ‘we must do better’.
Meanwhile, committee member, Labour MP and former district nurse Paulette Hamilton voted against the bill.
She said the change would ‘not do anything concrete to uplift the hospice and palliative care sectors’.
Ahead of the debate, the UK’s chief nursing officers (CNOs) issued advice to nurses and midwives wanting to take part in the assisted dying debate.
The committee stage of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill is yet to be announced.
In December, the government announced a new funding package to help hospices improve their buildings, equipment and accommodation.
