RCN Scotland welcomes a refreshed focus on improving access to palliative care services, but questions whether enough consideration has been given to resourcing and staffing of services to address unmet need. 

RCN Scotland broadly welcomes the strategy’s outcomes and actions as set out. However, with significant unmet need as well as rising demand for palliative care, resourcing, in terms of beds and staffing, must be adequately addressed. RCN Scotland questions whether the current funding arrangement is sustainable and notes that if improved understanding of palliative care amongst services users and their families is achieved, demand for services will further rise.