All Wales Competency Framework for Adult Palliative and End of Life Care 2025

View the All Wales Competency Framework for Adult Palliative End of Life Care 2025

The All Wales Competency Framework for Adult Palliative and End of Life Care has been developed in partnership with the NHS Wales National Programme for Palliative and End of Life Care and a multi-professional steering group. Most importantly, it has been shaped by the voices of people across Wales.

It ensures that healthcare staff across all settings and professions have the skills and knowledge to deliver compassionate, person-centred care. The framework outlines clear, tiered competencies and supports workforce development, education, service planning, and quality assurance.

Developed collaboratively with stakeholders, the framework helps ensure that people with life-shortening conditions receive compassionate, high-quality, and person-centred care, wherever and whenever they need it.

Next steps 

It is important that the PEoLC competency framework is utilised, implemented and embedded by health care professionals. This can be from induction and education through to ongoing professional development.

The framework should be used as a practical tool to guide training, supervision and appraisal, ensuring that staff in every role from specialist clinicians to those in generalist or support positions, have the fundamental competencies needed to provide or support high-quality palliative and end of life care.

The framework should also be integrated into organisational workforce planning and commissioning, helping services to identify population health need, set clear expectations, and monitor and evaluate progress. Ultimately, it will become a shared standard across professions and sectors, supporting a consistent approach to care, promoting confidence and capability in staff, and ensuring that patients and those important to them receive compassionate, safe, and person-centred care.

Please contact the team for further information.