Palliative Care - Data
Palliative care is the care, treatment and support someone receives when they have a life limiting illness. It aims to improve the quality of life of patients and their families, through the prevention and relief of suffering and can involve hospitals, hospices, GP practices and community teams.
Many people prefer to be cared for and die in the place where they live, for as long as possible (NHS Lothian, 2010).
- 87.9% of people in Midlothian spent the last 6 months of their lives at home or in a community setting (2021/22). This has increased from 85.6% in 2014/15 (86.6% to 89% in Scotland for the same period).
- The increase in Midlothian from 2014/15 to 2023/24 roughly equals an extra 4 days on average spent at home or in a community setting. The difference between Midlothian and the Scottish average was around 2 days in 2023/24
Page updated March 2026