Select Committee · Health and Social Care Committee

Palliative Care

Status: Open Opened: 5 Mar 2025 13 recommendations 9 conclusions 1 report

The Health and Social Care Committee has established and commissioned a politically impartial panel of experts to conduct an evaluation – independently of the Committee – of palliative care in England . The Expert Panel will produce a report after each evaluation which will be sent to the Committee to review. The Expert Panel is … Show more

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Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
6th Report - Palliative Care HC 1763 24 Mar 2026 22 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

3 items
16 Recommendation 6th Report - Palliative Care Accepted in Part

We recommend that end of life care be included as a core skill for the...

We recommend that end of life care be included as a core skill for the generalist health and social care workforce, with a clear and defined set of competencies required to deliver high-quality and person-centred palliative and end of life care. This should be reflected in the forthcoming 10 Year … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government partially accepts, committing to integrating palliative care into generalist practice and education, as reflected in the 10 Year Workforce Plan and an NHS England education framework. A career pathway and core capabilities framework for specialist palliative care are available, with funding and places …
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Department of Health and Social Care
17 Recommendation 6th Report - Palliative Care Accepted in Part

Current shortages in the specialist workforce are putting palliative care services in an unsustainable position...

Current shortages in the specialist workforce are putting palliative care services in an unsustainable position which threatens their ability to deliver equitable and high-quality palliative and end of life care. Extensive consultant vacancies, impending retirements, limited training places and widespread nursing shortages all contribute to an inability to meet demand, … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government partially accepts, focusing on training for the generalist workforce and developing a Qualification in Specialism Standard (QiSS) for palliative care. They plan to have funding and places for QiSS modules ready by March 2027/28, and a career pathway framework is already available.
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Department of Health and Social Care
18 Recommendation 6th Report - Palliative Care Accepted in Part

The Government need to publish an evidence-based plan, supported by up-to-date workforce modelling, setting out...

The Government need to publish an evidence-based plan, supported by up-to-date workforce modelling, setting out how it will increase the capacity and sustainability of all sectors of the specialist palliative and end of life care workforce, as part of the 10 Year Workforce Plan. This should include plans for clear … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government partially accepts the recommendation, highlighting the 10 Year Long Term Workforce Plan's focus on integrating palliative care into generalist education. It mentions an existing career pathway framework for specialist palliative care and plans for funding and places for the Qualification in Specialism Standard …
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Department of Health and Social Care

Oral evidence sessions

1 session
Date Witnesses
7 Jan 2026 Dr Amanda Doyle OBE · NHS England, Dr Edward Scully · Department of Health and Social Care, Dr Sarah Mitchell · NHS England, Stephen Kinnock MP · Department of Health and Social Care View ↗

Who gave evidence

4 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Dr Amanda Doyle OBE · National Director for Primary Care and Community … NHS England 1
Dr Edward Scully · Director for Primary and Community Health Care Department of Health and Social Care 1
Dr Sarah Mitchell · National Clinical Director for Palliative and End… NHS England 1
Stephen Kinnock MP · Minster of State Department of Health and Social Care 1

Correspondence

2 letters
DateDirectionTitle
4 Feb 2026 Correspondence from Minister Kinnock - Follow up on 7 January session
14 Jan 2025 Correspondence from the Chair to the SoS relating to palliative care