Palliative care and supportive care

Palliative care and supportive care are available at any point during your treatment or care. They aim to help people who have pancreatic cancer that can’t be cured to live as well as possible for as long as possible.

What's in the 'Your care' section?

Your local pancreatic cancer specialist centre
Healthcare team members
How do I get a second opinion?
Healthcare at home
Homecare and social care
Who do I contact in an emergency?
What do I do if I have concerns about care?
What are palliative care and supportive care?
Thinking about your future care

Palliative care teams help people with cancer that can’t be cured to live as well as possible for as long as possible. They provide specialist care to manage symptoms such as pain, and emotional symptoms like depression and anxiety. They provide support to family members too.

Early palliative care can help manage your symptoms more effectively and help you feel better. It’s a good idea to ask your medical team or GP about a referral to palliative care early on.

These services aren’t just for people at the end of their life. Palliative care and supportive care are available at any point during your treatment or care.

What is a specialist palliative care team?

Specialist palliative care teams vary, but may include palliative care doctors and nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, dietitians, and social workers. They provide specialist care for people who may need more complex palliative care. For example, they can help if pain is hard to control.

Not everyone will need specialist palliative care services. Many people will have palliative care that is provided by the GP and district nurse. They may also arrange support from the specialist palliative care team if you need this.

“When we were finally given a palliative care nurse I was amazed at how much support she was able to give us, both as a couple and individually.”

What is a supportive care team?

Some hospitals have supportive care teams. Supportive care is similar to palliative care. It aims to see people at a very early stage in their cancer treatment to manage their symptoms. In some areas, supportive care teams can also provide this care to people who have finished their treatment, but are still dealing with symptoms such as pain.

Where can I receive this care?

Your GP or district nurse will provide some palliative care, and will arrange support from the specialist palliative care team if you need this. If you are in hospital, the hospital will also have a palliative care team.

Palliative care may be provided in:

Not all services may be available everywhere. Speak to your GP if you need more support.

What is a hospice?

Hospices provide specialist palliative care. You can go to the hospice for an appointment or for the full day to use their services before returning home. Or you may stay at the hospice for a short time, for example to get symptoms under control. Some hospices also have ‘Hospice at Home’ services, which provide nursing care at home.

What services do hospices offer?

Hospices are free. The services each hospice offers can vary and not all will provide the services mentioned below.

Hospice services may include:

support from specialist palliative care doctors and nurses
managing symptoms, such as pain
physiotherapy or occupational therapy
emotional and social support
spiritual support, such as speaking to a chaplain
support for your family, including support for children and bereavement support
practical and financial advice
complementary therapies, such as massage and aromatherapy, to help deal with symptoms.

Your nurse or doctor can refer you to a hospice. Contact your local hospice or go to their website to find out about their services. Hospice UK has details of hospices in the UK.

If you have been told that you only have a few months to live, you should be referred to a specialist palliative care team.

We have more information about accessing this care

Speak to a nurse

Our specialist nurses on our free Support Line, can explain how to access support and what palliative care and supportive care involves.

Speak to our nurses

Can you refer me to the palliative care team?
What palliative care services are available locally?
What support is there for me to be cared for at home? How do I get this support?
Who should I contact in an emergency, at night or at the weekend?
Can you help me plan my future care?

Published August 2024

To be reviewed August 2027

Palliative care and supportive care