In 1990, the World Health Organisation (WHO) recognised palliative care as a distinct specialty dedicated to relieving suffering and improving quality of life for patients with life-limiting illnesses or serious injuries. Fourteen years later, the WHO in its publication 'Global Atlas of Palliative Care at the End of Life', projected that, each year in the world, around 377 per 100,000 of the adult (over 15 years of age) population and 63 per 100,000 of the child population (under 15 years of age) will require "palliative care at the end of life'. This article will discuss what constitutes palliative care, the different elements of palliative care, the approaches to palliative care, specialist palliative care services, end of life care and where GPs fit into this area. We will also be sharing tips on providing palliative care as a GP and for GP trainees.
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