Palliative Medicine
Programme description
GMC Reference: WOS503
Palliative Medicine is the branch of medicine involved in the treatment of patients with advanced, progressive, life-limiting disease. The Specialty focusses on supporting patients and their families and managing symptoms - physical, social, psychological and spiritual. There is a strong emphasis on patient centred care provided by a multi-professional team.
Palliative Medicine Physicians may work in a hospital, in the community, in hospices or other specialist palliative care units. Many Consultants work across different care settings and this enables continuity of care for patients with complex needs.
The role of Palliative Medicine Physicians varies acording to care setting and there is wide variation in the roles that Consultants are appointed to. Day to day work can be very varied and will involve supporting patients who are at any stage of their illness journey, from diagnosis to the end of life.
A key aspect of the role is in teaching and training, both for fellow specilaists and non-specialists. Involvement in service evaluation, quality improvement and research is also very important to the development of the specialty and is encouraged throughout training. Palliaitve Medicine Consultants have many opportunites to be invovled in management roles and, therefore, the development of leadershp and management skills and an understanding of the management structures, within which we work, is also emphasised and supported throughout training.
As a National Training Programme in Palliative Medicine, we provide higher specialty training across four geographical regions and these are the West of Scotland (based in and around Glasgow); the South East of Scotland (based in and around Edinburgh); the East of Scotland (based in and around Dundee) and the North of Scotland (based in and around Aberdeen). Trainees are appointed to one of the four regions and rotate through the hospitals and specialist palliative care units, in that geographical unit.
In Scotland, as a national programme, we provide an excellent training in Specialist Palliative Care and ensure the knowledge of skills and competencies required to fulfill the requirements of the Specialtiy Training Curriculum for Palliative Medicine are delivered in a comprehensive and consistent way. There are also opportunites to gain particular experience in a sub-specialty interest if trainees would like to pursue this.
There is a programme of national training days which are organised by the Trainees, for the most part and ensure that the training meets their own learning needs. The importance of peer support is recognised and opportunites for this are built in to the programme of national training days.
The Programme has been delighted to support Trainees who wish to take time out of the programme and examples of this have recently included Scottish Clinical Leadership Fellowships and Research Fellowships.
Research, audit, teaching and management opportunities
West Region : Marie Curie Hospice Glasgow, Strathcarron Hospice ,Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre , Ayrshire Hospice , Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice .Queen Elizabeth University Hospital , University Hospital Ayr , University Hospital Crosshouse , Forth Valley Royal Hospital , Stobhill Hospital Glasgow Royal Infirmary
South East Region: St Columbas Hospice, Western General Hospital, Royal Infirmary Edinburgh, Victoria Hospital Fife
East Region: Roxburghe House Dundee, Royal Victoria Hospital, Ninewells Hospital, Stracathro Hospital, Perth Royal Infirmary
North Region: Roxburghe House Aberdeen, Aberdeen Royal Infirmary
Where the training is delivered?
Training is delivered across:
Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, Beatson (the) West of Scotland Cancer Centre, Glasgow, Marie Curie Hospice, Edinburgh, Marie Curie, NHS Lothian, Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, Queen Margaret Hospital, Dunfermline, Roxburghe House, Aberdeen, Royal Cornhill Hospital, Aberdeen, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Stracathro Hospital, Angus, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, Borders General Hospital, Melrose, Woodend Hospital, Aberdeen, Royal Victoria Hospital, Dundee, The Ayrshire Hospice, Ayrshire, Strathcarron Hospice, Forth Valley, St Columbas Hospice, Edinburgh, Highland Hospice, Inverness, Roxburghe House, Dundee, Marie Curie Hospice, Glasgow
West Region : Marie Curie Hospice Glasgow, Strathcarron Hospice ,Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre , Ayrshire Hospice , Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice .Queen Elizabeth University Hospital , University Hospital Ayr , University Hospital Crosshouse , Forth Valley Royal Hospital , Stobhill Hospital Glasgow Royal Infirmary
South East Region: St Columbas Hospice, Western General Hospital, Royal Infirmary Edinburgh, Victoria Hospital Fife
East Region: Roxburghe House Dundee, Royal Victoria Hospital, Ninewells Hospital, Stracathro Hospital, Perth Royal Infirmary
North Region: Roxburghe House Aberdeen, Aberdeen Royal Infirmary
Contacts and useful links
Information |
|
| Programme type (Deanery or National): | Deanery |
| Administration office: | National |
| Lead Dean / Director: | Professor Adam Hill |
| Responsible Associate Postgraduate Dean or Assistant Director (GP): | Dr Marie Freel |
| Specialty or Sub-specialty: | Specialty |
| Date of GMC recent approval: | Aug 2010 |
| Associated Royal College - Faculty: |
Joint Royal Colleges of Physicians Training Board |
| Curriculum and associated assessment system: | https://www.rcpath.org/trainees/training/training-by-specialty/paediatric-and-perinatal-pathology-2021.html |
| Programme administrator: |
Name:
Sarah McNeil
Address: NHS Education for Scotland, 2 Central Quay, 89 Hydepark Street, Glasgow. G3 8BW Email: Sarah.McNeil@nhs.scot |
| Programme director(s): |
Name:
Dr Ruth Isherwood Email: ruth.isherwood@nhs.scot |
| Quality of training: | Quality Management |
This page was last updated on: 12.03.2025 at 09.50