Skip to content
Home » Services » Services A-Z » Palliative care

Palliative care

What is palliative care?

When someone has a life-threatening condition that cannot be cured, palliative care is centred around helping the person live well with their condition through an active and holistic approach.

This helps to manage symptoms as well as providing psychological, social and spiritual support to achieve the best quality of life for the person and those closest to them.

The palliative care journey can be long or short and varies from one person to another. As the person reaches the end of their life, additional care and support may be required.

You can find more information on palliative care, such as managing symptoms, grief support and planning for end of life care on:

To find out what support and services are available in your area, search Scotland’s Service Directory for:

  • names
  • addresses
  • opening times
  • details of NHS services

Public information directory

Our public information directory for supportive and palliative services provides essential information on the services available in Ayrshire and Arran.

This includes:

  • specialist teams
  • hospice support
  • community resources
  • practical help for patients and carers

It aims to guide individuals and professionals in accessing appropriate care and support.

Making a care plan for the future

Anticipatory Care Planning (ACP) is about thinking ahead and being in control of changes in your health conditions.

Anyone of any age may benefit from having a plan. However, people with more complex needs are likely to benefit most from ACP as it ensures that their support is:

  • informed by their choices
  • tailored to their needs

A plan can be started at any time by letting your health team know or your health team might suggest making a plan to you.

Your health team will work with you to identify what matters most to you and will help you make an informed choice about the care you want to receive.

Find out more information about the ACP mobile app on the NHS inform website.

Information for family members

See our Palliative care: information for family members section, which offers support and guidance if your loved one is nearing the end of their life in hospital.

It includes information on:

  • services offered
  • facilities
  • support available
  • contact details and resources

Support for specific conditions

You can consult NHS Inform for condition-specific palliative care resources: