Interactive All Wales Competency Framework for Adult Palliative and End of Life Care enhances accessibility for healthcare professionals
Published: 26/05/2026
The All Wales Competency Framework for Adult Palliative and End of Life Care (PEoLC) is now available in an interactive format, improving accessibility and usability for healthcare professionals across NHS Wales.
Developed by Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW) in collaboration with the NHS Wales National Programme for Palliative and End of Life Care, the framework ensures that individuals working across a range of health and care settings are equipped with the skills and knowledge required to deliver compassionate, person-centred care for individuals with life shortening health conditions.
Hosted on HEIW’s national e-learning platform for NHS Wales, Y Ty Dysgu, the interactive version of the framework has been designed for use in busy health and care environments across a range of locations and devices, supporting improved accessibility.
New functions, including role based navigation, enable users to quickly access competencies tailored to their specific roles, providing quicker and more efficient access to information.
Key features include:
- Improved usability: healthcare professionals can quickly locate relevant competencies through a clearer structure and intuitive navigation
- Enhanced learning support: role specific views and interactive elements help improve engagement and reduce unnecessary information
- Consistency: a single, centrally maintained version ensures users access the most up-to-date information
- Organisational application: the framework can be embedded into induction, supervision and continuing professional development (CPD) and may support monitoring and assurance processes
The framework applies to all healthcare professionals working with adults living with a life shortening illness across all care settings. This includes professionals for whom palliative and end of life care is central to their role, as well as those who encounter it less frequently.
Since its official launch in October 2025, the framework has been positively received by healthcare professionals and is beginning to be adopted within educational settings across Wales.
Aberystwyth University has begun using the framework to enhance its Adult Nursing and Mental Health Nursing programmes, demonstrating confidence in its value and relevance for future workforce development.
Ellie Jolley-Dawson, Lecturer in Healthcare Education at Aberystwyth University, said:
“At Aberystwyth University we have used the All-Wales Competency Framework for Adult Palliative and End of Life Care to map and scaffold a clear developmental pathway across the three years of both our Adult Nursing and Mental Health Nursing programmes.
We had already begun strengthening our palliative and end of life teaching, but the framework provided a robust structure that clarified what to introduce and when. Every module now includes at least one dedicated palliative/end of life care session.
Student feedback has been consistently positive. The framework has supported curriculum design and helps practice partners understand what to expect from students at different stages. We believe it will contribute to a more confident and competent workforce over time.”
Last month, HEIW and the NHS Wales National Programme for Palliative and End of Life Care presented the competency framework at the Hospice UK Clinical and Workforce Leaders Conference.
Danielle Garrett, Programme Manager HEIW, said:
“The framework helps ensure that patients’ wishes remain at the heart of decision-making, supporting individuals to receive care that is respectful, person-centred and aligned with their values and preferences.
We hope the new interactive version of the framework will be easier to access, navigate, and digest, enabling staff at every level to confidently develop the skills and understanding needed to deliver compassionate, high quality care.”
Access the interactive All Wales Competency Framework for Adult Palliative and End of Life Care on Y Ty Dysgu.