Position Statement on Palliative Care Education on the Island of Ireland
AIIHPC led on the development of the Position Statement on Palliative Care Education on the Island of Ireland in collaboration with the All Ireland Palliative Care Education Network.
The position statement articulates the essential nature of education for health and social care professionals who provide palliative care; for service users who access palliative care services; carers of people who have palliative care needs; and the general public who need to be better informed about palliative care and what it offers to people living with life-limiting and chronic conditions.
The position statement was informed by the World Health Assembly Resolution WHA67.19, which was adopted in May 2014 and which calls on member states to strengthen palliative care as a component of comprehensive care throughout the life course.
The Resolution also includes significant reference to the inclusion of palliative education in curricula for health and social care professionals who provide palliative care at various levels. At a national level the position statement has been informed by the publication and implementation of the Palliative and End of Life Care Competency Assessment Tool (2011) in Northern Ireland; the publication of the Palliative Care Competence Framework (2014) in the Republic of Ireland; and the publication of the Report of the Community Learning Project (2015).