5
Rejected
We are concerned that the Minister was unable to commit to providing clear and specific...
Recommendation
We are concerned that the Minister was unable to commit to providing clear and specific standards and guidance for babies, children and young people’s palliative and end of life care in the Modern Service Framework (MSF). We strongly recommend that the Department includes specific standards within the MSF for the provision of children and young people’s palliative care services, and for the transition between child and adult services. Pan-ICB commissioning guidance should contain specific information on how to commission these services effectively. (Recommendation, Paragraph 26)
Government Response Summary
The government rejects the recommendation to include specific standards and commissioning guidance for children and young people's palliative care within the Modern Service Framework. It states it is considering targets and metrics as the full MSF is developed, focusing on early identification of palliative care needs.
Government Response
Rejected
Government Response
Rejected
HM Government
Rejected
Reject While there is currently no formal government target of 90% for the percentage of individuals in the last year of life documented on the Palliative Care Register, the evidence suggests that between 0.75% – 0.9% of the population (so c.75% – c.90% of those that die in each year) could be identified as likely in the last 12 months of life so that is a stretch target that we would like to achieve by 2029, supported by the MSF. Register indicators have been income-protected in the Quality Outcomes Framework (QOF) since COVID-19, and their removal is intended to streamline the incentive scheme rather than reduce support for core clinical activity. We recognise that more work needs to be done on early identification. The MSF will provide a clinically-led, evidence-based framework to support sustained improvement in patient and carer outcomes. Areas of action have been identified for those commissioning and delivering services with associated performance and outcome metrics to support system accountability. The metrics related to improving the identification of people with palliative care and end-of-life care needs are an important part of this. We are considering the target and metrics as we develop the full MSF in partnership with researchers and analysts.
Source
Committee
Health and Social Care Committee
Inquiry
Palliative Care
Report
6th Report - Palliative Care
24 Mar 2026
HC 1763
Addressee Bodies
Department of Health and Social Care
Timeline
Recommendation age
0.3 yrs
Report published
24 Mar 2026