Palliative Care

When to use our palliative care service

Contact us if you or someone you care for is living with a serious, progressive illness and needs reliable access to symptom-control medicines. Palliative care can benefit people with:

• Advanced cancer and cancer-related symptoms
• Heart failure and other cardiovascular conditions
• Chronic respiratory disease such as COPD and pulmonary fibrosis
• Kidney or liver failure
• Neurological conditions such as motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis or Parkinson's disease
• Dementia and other cognitive conditions

Palliative care is not limited to end of life. It can begin at any stage of a serious illness and run alongside curative treatment.

What is palliative care?

Palliative care is specialist care aimed at improving quality of life for people with serious illness, preventing and relieving suffering by addressing physical symptoms such as pain, nausea and breathlessness alongside emotional, psychological and spiritual needs. It also extends to supporting family members and carers.

How your pharmacist helps

Palliative care often needs specialist medicines that are not routinely stocked everywhere. We hold a dedicated stock so patients and carers can get them quickly, including out of hours and in urgent situations. Our pharmacists can:

• Review your medication regimen so everything works together effectively
• Advise on correct dose, timing and method of administration
• Give guidance on syringe drivers and other specialist delivery devices
• Liaise with your GP, district nurses and specialist palliative care teams
• Arrange home delivery when you cannot visit the pharmacy

Pain relief and symptom control

• Opioid analgesics - morphine, oxycodone and fentanyl for moderate to severe pain
• Anti-emetics - to control nausea and vomiting
• Anxiolytics and sedatives - for anxiety, agitation and restlessness
• Anticholinergics - to reduce respiratory secretions and ease breathing
• Corticosteroids - to reduce inflammation, improve appetite and manage specific symptoms

Care should be personalised to each patient's needs and wishes, and we work with your care team to tailor your medication plan for maximum comfort.

Anticipatory medicines and planning ahead

Advance care planning lets patients set out their wishes for future care. We can prepare anticipatory medicine supplies, kept at home so they can be given promptly if symptoms change, avoiding delays or distressing trips to hospital. We work with your GP and palliative care nurses to review, replenish and adjust these supplies as needs evolve.

Support for families and carers

Caring for a loved one with a life-limiting illness is emotionally and physically demanding. Our pharmacists can explain how medicines work, demonstrate how to give them and offer reassurance in difficult moments. We can also point you to local hospice services, community palliative care teams, support groups, counselling, bereavement support and charities such as Macmillan Cancer Support and Marie Curie.

Find palliative care support near you

Specialist stock held for rapid availability, prioritised urgent dispensing often the same day, home delivery, out-of-hours support through local palliative care networks and direct liaison with GPs, district nurses and hospice teams. Use the postcode search above to find your nearest Allied Pharmacy.