AIIHPC undertakes work in policy and practice both across and within the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland focusing on cross-jurisdictional learning opportunities and possible co-operation, as well as furthering key local and national policy issues.

A community development approach is taken which is centred on service user experience and involvement, with an emphasis on changing community behaviours in relation to death, dying and loss through enablement and sharing of information.

A key element of our policy work includes making policy submissions to government, government bodies and other agencies and keeping track of and influencing relevant legislation while representing palliative care policy issues both nationally and internationally.

AIIHPC’s policy focus also involves a number of specific initiatives and ongoing programmes of work:

• Policy insights are captured from the experience of service users, their families and their carers through the Let’s Talk About survey
• Voices4Care panel informs our work through the meaningful involvement of people receiving palliative care, their carer’s and the wider community
• Collaborative networks including the Chief Executive Officers network are facilitated by AIIHPC to enable shared learning and partnership building to promote global best practice
• Public and community awareness of palliative care is promoted through the tailor made public awareness programmes and through the provision of information on statutory and voluntary palliative care services

AIIHPC is represented on the:

• National Network of Palliative Care Service Providers which supports the Health Service Executive (ROI) on the development and implementation of palliative care policy and practice in the Republic of Ireland
• Regional Palliative Care Programme Board – Palliative Care in Partnership (Northern Ireland)