ABSTRACT
The goal of palliative care is achievement of the best quality of life for patients and their families. Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive degenerative neurological disorder and although significant advances have been made in our understanding of the disease and its management, there is as yet no curative treatment and those affected will deteriorate at variable rates with worsening disability and reduction in quality of life. The major emphasis of palliative care services in the UK has been on cancer but, increasingly, other chronic conditions such as heart failure, severe respiratory disease and chronic neurological conditions are being recognised. The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) has produced recommendations for Palliative Care in PD. The process of admission and the subsequent care and review mechanisms are variable and often unsatisfactory. Many ethical issues arise in the management of patients with advanced-stage PD.
