Health Careers
Published on Health Careers (https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk)

Home > Explore roles > Doctors > Roles for doctors > Medicine > Palliative medicine

Palliative medicine

Doctors in palliative medicine provide holistic [1], quality-of-life care to patients with serious, advanced and progressive illnesses that cannot be cured.

You’ll provide expertise and support to colleagues, particularly those treating patients with complex conditions.

Life as a doctor in palliative medicine

Doctors in palliative medicine play an important and wide-ranging educational role, advising colleagues, families and other healthcare professionals while helping to ensure high standards of care.

Most of your patients will have advanced or progressive cancer, although increasingly palliative medicine doctors treat patients with a range of conditions such as heart failure, renal failure and neurological conditions. 

It is essential to possess a deep understanding of the pathology and management of these conditions, which creates opportunities to develop a sub-specialty. You will need expertise in the pharmacological management of a range of problems and an understanding of drug interactions and side effects.

You’ll be an essential part of specialist palliative care services, for clinical expertise, quality improvement, education, research management and research.

You can expect to work in hospitals, hospices and in the community with home visits being common. In some settings, such as specialist impatient units, you’ll have responsibility for the medical management of a patient. However, in most hospital settings, you’ll play an advisory role alongside nurses who deliver most of the patient care.

At all times, you’ll provide care that:

  • strives to achieve the best quality of life for the patient for as long as possible
  • involves managing and anticipating pain and other symptoms
  • addresses the psychological, social and spiritual needs of the patient
  • facilitates multi-professional support to provide joined-up care across care boundaries, enabling care at home and fewer avoidable admissions towards the end of life
  • supports anticipatory planning with patients and professionals including advance planning in the last year of life
  • supports end of life care that meets the needs and wishes of the individual and family
  • supports the patient’s family and significant others during the patient's illness and their bereavement

Common procedures and interventions include:

  • paracentesis [2] (drawing off fluid form a natural cavity of the body)
  • use of portable ultrasound [3]
  • specialist pain techniques including management of epidural [4] infusions (a local anaesthetic procedure for blocking pain) occasionally in conjunction with a pain specialist
  • management of central lines
  • management of non invasive ventilation
  • management of tracheostomies 

How much can I earn?

You’ll first earn a salary when you start your foundation training [5] after medical school.  Find out details of current salary ranges for foundation and specialty training, SAS doctors [6] and consultants on the Pay for doctors [7] page. 

How about the benefits?

  • make a difference
  • flexible and part-time working
  • high income early in your career
  • work anywhere in the world
  • excellent pension scheme
  • good holiday entitlement
  • NHS discounts in shops and restaurants

Must-have skills

  • excellent communication skills to manage a wide range of relationships with colleagues, and patients and their families
  • emotional resilience, a calm temperament and the ability to work well under pressure
  • teamwork and the capacity to lead multidisciplinary teams
  • problem-solving and diagnostic skills
  • outstanding organisational ability and effective decision-making skills
  • first-class time and resource management for the benefit of patients

In addition, doctors in palliative medicine need to demonstrate:

  • a high level of personal credibility as a clinician
  • adaptability and resilience
  • compassion, empathy, a flexible outlook and a sense of humour
  • interests such as enhancing the quality of life for patients with life-limiting illnesses and improving end of life care and developing multicultural awareness
  • well-developed skills in bedside clinical assessment (especially in settings and situations when routine investigations would not be appropriate)
  • expertise in managing difficult pain, physical symptoms and psychological distress
  • excellent decision-making in the context of changing and distressing situations using sound knowledge of ethical considerations

Entry requirements

Your first step is medical school. Typically, you’ll need excellent GCSEs and three A or A* passes at A level including chemistry for a five-year undergraduate degree in medicine. Many medical schools also ask for biology and others may require maths or physics.

If you already have a degree, you could study for a four-year postgraduate degree in medicine.

You’ll need to pass an interview and admissions test. You’ll be asked to show how you demonstrate the NHS values such as compassion and respect.

Some medical schools look to recruit a mix of students from different backgrounds and geographical areas, so your educational and economic background and family circumstances could be considered as part of your application.

How to become a doctor in palliative medicine

After medical school, you’ll join the paid two-year foundation programme [8] where you’ll work in six placements in different settings.  

After your foundation programme, you can apply for paid specialty training [9] to become a doctor in palliative medicine, which will take a minimum of six years. 

You may be able to train part time, for example for health reasons or if you have family or caring responsibilities.

Where a career as a doctor in palliative medicine can take you

You could: 
  • specialise or conduct research
  • teach medical students or postgraduate students in training
  • get involved in research at universities, the NHS or private sector
  • Find a vacancy

    • Consultant In palliative Care Medicine

      Cottingham, HU16 5JQ

      Salary:
      £105504.00 to £139882.00
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Consultant In palliative Care Medicine job (opens in a new window) [10]
    • Specialty Doctor - Palliative Medicine

      Dorchester, DT1 2SL

      Salary:
      Negotiable
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      Weldmar Hospicecare
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Specialty Doctor - Palliative Medicine job (opens in a new window) [11]
    • Palliative Care Administrator

      Radford, NG7 3GW

      Salary:
      £24169.00
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      Nottingham CityCare Partnership CIC
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Palliative Care Administrator job (opens in a new window) [12]
    • Consultant in Paediatric Medicine WAI in Palliative Care

      Sheffield, S10 2TH

      Salary:
      £105504.00 to £139882.00
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Consultant in Paediatric Medicine WAI in Palliative Care job (opens in a new window) [13]
    • Care Coordinator (Palliative Care and Dementia)

      Waterlooville, PO7 5XP

      Salary:
      £13.48
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      Portsdown Group Practice
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Care Coordinator (Palliative Care and Dementia) job (opens in a new window) [14]
    • Macmillan Associate Specialist Palliative Care

      Stockport, SK2 7JE

      Salary:
      £38682.00 to £46580.00
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      Stockport NHS Foundation Trust
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Macmillan Associate Specialist Palliative Care job (opens in a new window) [15]
    • Locum Consultant in Palliative Care

      Mountain Ash, CF45 4BZ

      Salary:
      £121264.00
      Type:
      Locum
      Employer:
      Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Locum Consultant in Palliative Care job (opens in a new window) [16]
    • Clinical Lead in Specialist Palliative Care

      Norwich, NR4 7YA

      Salary:
      £46148.00 to £52809.00
      Type:
      Fixed-Term
      Employer:
      Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Clinical Lead in Specialist Palliative Care job (opens in a new window) [17]
    • (Trainee) Advanced Clinical Practitioner - Palliative Care

      Liverpool, L9 7AL

      Salary:
      £53755.00 to £60504.00
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for (Trainee) Advanced Clinical Practitioner - Palliative Care job (opens in a new window) [18]
    • Clinical Pharmacist with Directorate (Palliative Care)

      Newport, NP20 2UB

      Salary:
      £56514.00 to £63623.00
      Type:
      Fixed-Term
      Employer:
      Aneurin Bevan University Health Board
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Clinical Pharmacist with Directorate (Palliative Care) job (opens in a new window) [19]
    • Clinical Support Worker - Palliative Care Goscote Hospice

      Walsall, WS3 1SJ

      Salary:
      £24465.00
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Clinical Support Worker - Palliative Care Goscote Hospice job (opens in a new window) [20]
    • Highly Specialised Community Occupational Therapist-Palliative Care

      Southall, UB1 3HW

      Salary:
      £51883.00 to £58544.00
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Highly Specialised Community Occupational Therapist-Palliative Care job (opens in a new window) [21]
    • Administrative Lead for Safeguarding and Palliative Care

      March, PE15 0TG

      Salary:
      Negotiable
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      Fenland Group Practice
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Administrative Lead for Safeguarding and Palliative Care job (opens in a new window) [22]
    • Palliative Medicine Consultant

      Salisbury, SP2 8BJ

      Salary:
      £105504.00 to £139882.00
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Palliative Medicine Consultant job (opens in a new window) [23]
    • Consultant Palliative Medicine

      Romford, RM7 0AG

      Salary:
      £105504.00 to £139882.00
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Consultant Palliative Medicine job (opens in a new window) [24]
    • Bank Palliative Care Support Worker/ HCA (Band 2)

      Bristol, BS10 6NL

      Salary:
      £12.37
      Type:
      Bank
      Employer:
      St Peter’s Hospice
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Bank Palliative Care Support Worker/ HCA (Band 2) job (opens in a new window) [25]
    • Educational Fellow Palliative Medicine

      St. Leonards-On-Sea, TN37 7RD

      Salary:
      £49909.00
      Type:
      Fixed-Term
      Employer:
      East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Educational Fellow Palliative Medicine job (opens in a new window) [26]
    • Consultant in Palliative Medicine

      London, E13 8SL

      Salary:
      £105504.00 to £139882.00
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      Barts Health NHS Trust
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Consultant in Palliative Medicine job (opens in a new window) [27]
    • Consultant in Palliative Medicine

      Margate, CT9 4AN

      Salary:
      £105504.00 to £139882.00
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Consultant in Palliative Medicine job (opens in a new window) [28]
    • Consultant in Paediatric Palliative Medicine

      Sheffield, S10 2TH

      Salary:
      £105504.00 to £139882.00
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Consultant in Paediatric Palliative Medicine job (opens in a new window) [29]
    • Locum SPIN Paediatric Palliative Medicine Consultant

      Birmingham, B4 6NH

      Salary:
      £105504.00 to £139882.00
      Type:
      Fixed-Term
      Employer:
      Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Locum SPIN Paediatric Palliative Medicine Consultant job (opens in a new window) [30]
    • Medicines Management Pharmacy Technician Palliative Support

      Penarth, CF64 2XX

      Salary:
      £30420.00 to £37030.00
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      Cardiff and Vale University Health Board
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Medicines Management Pharmacy Technician Palliative Support job (opens in a new window) [31]
    • Palliative End of Life Care Clinical Lead

      To be confirmed, PL31 2QT

      Salary:
      £46148.00 to £52809.00
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Palliative End of Life Care Clinical Lead job (opens in a new window) [32]
    • Training Programme Director for Palliative Medicine (KSS)

      Horley, RH6 7DE

      Salary:
      Negotiable
      Type:
      Secondment
      Employer:
      NHS England
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Training Programme Director for Palliative Medicine (KSS) job (opens in a new window) [33]
    • Childrens Palliative Clinical Lead

      Worcester, WR5 3EZ

      Salary:
      £46000.00 to £52000.00
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      Acorns Children’s Hospice Trust
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Childrens Palliative Clinical Lead job (opens in a new window) [34]
    • Urgent Care Doctor

      London, NW8 9NH

      Salary:
      Negotiable
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      The Hospital of St John and St Elizabeth
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Urgent Care Doctor job (opens in a new window) [35]
    • Resident Doctor Critical Care

      Birmingham, B15 2FQ

      Salary:
      £72000.00 to £84000.00
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      HCA Healthcare UK
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Resident Doctor Critical Care job (opens in a new window) [36]
    • Salaried Urgent Care Doctor - Preston & Chorley

      Preston, PR2 9HT
      Chorley, PR7 1PP

      Salary:
      £95025.00 to £105788.00
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      Gtd Healthcare
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Salaried Urgent Care Doctor - Preston & Chorley job (opens in a new window) [37]
    • ST3+ Doctor - Acute Medicine

      Hereford, HR1 2ER

      Salary:
      £61825.00
      Type:
      Fixed-Term
      Employer:
      Wye Valley NHS Trust
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for ST3+ Doctor - Acute Medicine job (opens in a new window) [38]
    • Specialty Doctor Acute Medicine

      Bournemouth, BH7 7DW

      Salary:
      £61542.00 to £99219.00
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Specialty Doctor Acute Medicine job (opens in a new window) [39]
    • Specialty Doctor - Emergency Medicine

      Bournemouth, BH7 7DW

      Salary:
      £61542.00 to £99216.00
      Type:
      Fixed-Term
      Employer:
      University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Specialty Doctor - Emergency Medicine job (opens in a new window) [40]
    • Consultant in Elderly Care Medicine

      Warwick, CV34 5BW

      Salary:
      Negotiable
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Consultant in Elderly Care Medicine job (opens in a new window) [41]
    • Consultant in Critical Care Medicine

      Peterborough, PE3 9GZ

      Salary:
      £109725.00 to £145478.00
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Consultant in Critical Care Medicine job (opens in a new window) [42]
    • Consultant in Intensive Care Medicine

      Scarborough, YO12 6QL

      Salary:
      £105504.00 to £139882.00
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Consultant in Intensive Care Medicine job (opens in a new window) [43]
    • Specialist Doctor in Elderly Medicine

      Wakefield, WF14DG

      Salary:
      £100870.00 to £111441.00
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      The Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Specialist Doctor in Elderly Medicine job (opens in a new window) [44]
    • Specialist Doctor in Stroke Medicine

      Wakefield, WF14DG

      Salary:
      £100870.00 to £111441.00
      Type:
      Fixed-Term
      Employer:
      The Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Specialist Doctor in Stroke Medicine job (opens in a new window) [45]
    • Specialty Doctor in Emergency Medicine

      Slough, SL2 4HL

      Salary:
      £59175.00 to £95400.00
      Type:
      Fixed-Term
      Employer:
      Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Specialty Doctor in Emergency Medicine job (opens in a new window) [46]
    • Speciality Doctor in Emergency Medicine

      Uxbridge, UB8 3NN

      Salary:
      £61542.00 to £99216.00
      Type:
      Fixed-Term
      Employer:
      The Hillingdon Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Speciality Doctor in Emergency Medicine job (opens in a new window) [47]
    • Consultant in Intensive Care Medicine & Anaesthesia

      Chester, CH2 1UL

      Salary:
      £105504.00 to £139882.00
      Type:
      Permanent
      Employer:
      Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
      Apply now on NHS Jobs for Consultant in Intensive Care Medicine & Anaesthesia job (opens in a new window) [48]
  • These organisations have further information about being a doctor in palliative medicine, particularly as your career progresses. Take a look.

    Royal College of Physicians [49]

    Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh [50]

    Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow [51]

    The Association for Palliative Medicine of Great Britain and Ireland [52]

    The National Council for Palliative Care (NCPC) [53]

    And hear from people working as palliative care doctors:

    A palliative medicine consultant (BMJ) [54]

    Dr Richard Berman, consultant in palliative medicine (RCP) [55]

    Dr Fiona Finlay – ST6, palliative medicine [56]

Other roles that may interest you

  • Medical oncology [57]
  • General practitioner [58]
  • Geriatric medicine [59]
  • Respiratory medicine [60]

Source URL:https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/doctors/roles-doctors/medicine/palliative-medicine

Links
[1] https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/glossary#Holistic [2] https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/glossary#Paracentesis [3] https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/glossary#Ultrasound [4] https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/glossary#Epidural [5] https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/glossary#Foundation_training [6] https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/doctors/career-opportunities-doctors/sas-doctors [7] https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/doctors/pay-doctors [8] https://foundationprogramme.nhs.uk/ [9] https://specialtytraining.hee.nhs.uk/ [10] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/C9356-25-0663 [11] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/B0149-25-0009 [12] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/B9826-PACB-6324 [13] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/C9425-25-0314 [14] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/A2111-25-0017 [15] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/C9362-25-0602 [16] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/H9110-25-1054 [17] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/C9839-25-0281 [18] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/C9287-25-1115 [19] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/H9040-25-1071 [20] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/C9407-25-0248 [21] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/C9337-25-2751 [22] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/A0751-25-0004 [23] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/C9269-25-0298 [24] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/C9162-25-0511 [25] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/B0163-25-0017 [26] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/C9374-25-0698 [27] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/C9259-25-1653 [28] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/C9344-25-0742 [29] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/C9425-25-0340 [30] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/C9284-25-0414 [31] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/H9001-25-0590 [32] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/C9201-25-0675 [33] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/M9990-25-0270 [34] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/B0025-25-0015 [35] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/B0263-25-0159 [36] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/E0115-25-0113 [37] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/U0061-25-0080 [38] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/C9229-25-0494 [39] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/C9153-25-0781 [40] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/C9153-25-0801 [41] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/C9203-25-0385 [42] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/C9176-25-0354 [43] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/C9419-25-0642 [44] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/C9377-CARP4584MED [45] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/C9377-CARP4604MED [46] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/C9151-25-0853 [47] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/C9394-25-0229 [48] https://beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/C9210-25-0323 [49] http://www.rcplondon.ac.uk/ [50] http://www.rcpe.ac.uk/ [51] http://www.rcpsg.ac.uk [52] https://apmonline.org/ [53] http://www.ncpc.org.uk [54] http://careers.bmj.com/careers/advice/view-article.html?id=20000524 [55] https://www.rcplondon.ac.uk/education-practice/interview/specialty-career-profile-palliative-medicine [56] https://www.rcpe.ac.uk/careers-resource/palliative-medicine [57] https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/doctors/roles-doctors/medicine/medical-oncology [58] https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/doctors/roles-doctors/general-practitioner [59] https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/doctors/roles-doctors/medicine/geriatric-medicine [60] https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/doctors/roles-doctors/medicine/respiratory-medicine