Support in the last days and hours of life
Using their training, experience and professional judgement, you can expect health and social care staff to work to provide you with good care as you approach the end of your life.
To help staff achieve this, NHS Scotland has produced guidance: Caring for people in the last days and hours of life. Though designed to be used by professionals, this guidance is accessible to members of the public and contains helpful information about the range of factors that health and social care staff will consider as they care for you.
The healthcare professionals providing your care have access to the Scottish Palliative Care Guidelines. These guidelines provide healthcare professionals with advice about how best to provide different aspects of the care which you may need, including managing common symptoms.
You may have heard doctors, nurses or the media refer to the Liverpool Care Pathway. Use of the LCP was phased out in Scotland at the end of 2014, although it remains recognised that used correctly, the Liverpool Care Pathway could support good quality care in the last days and hours of life in Scotland.