The Scottish Palliative Care Guidelines reflect a consensus of opinion about good practice in the management of adult patients with life limiting illness. They are designed for healthcare professionals from any care setting who are involved in supporting people with a palliative life-limiting condition.
The guidelines have been developed by a multidisciplinary group of professionals working in the community, hospital and specialist palliative care services throughout Scotland supported by Healthcare Improvement Scotland.
A selective update to the guidelines is now complete and revised content was published in March 2019. The update includes one new guideline on the management of end stage liver disease; a refresh of guidance on the use of the CME T34 Syringe Pumps and a number of new medicine information sheets:
The following symptom management guidelines have been reviewed and refreshed where new evidence or changes in practice indicated this was necessary.
Adherence to guideline recommendations will not ensure a successful outcome in every case. It is the responsibility of all professionals to exercise clinical judgement in the management of individual patients. Palliative care specialists occasionally use or recommend other drugs, doses or drug combinations.
The online version of the guidelines contains the most up to date information. Printed versions cannot be considered to be current.
Updates and amendments made to the online guidelines will be detailed in the News and Updates section.
Selected guidelines are available as a mobile app for iPhone and Android and the content of the apps is in the process of being updated in accordance with the website. Visit the Mobile App page for more information and how to access.