Textbook of Palliative Care is a comprehensive, clinically relevant and state-of-the art book, aimed at advancing palliative care as a science, a clinical practice and as an art.

Palliative care has been part of healthcare for over fifty years but we still find ourselves having to explain its nature and practice to colleagues and to the public in general. Healthcare education and training has been slow to recognize the vital importance of ensuring that all practitioners have a good understanding of what is involved in the care of people with serious or advanced illnesses and their families. However, the science of palliative care is advancing and our understanding concerning many aspects of palliative care is developing rapidly.

The book is divided into separate sections for ease of use. Over 100 chapters written by experts in their given fields provide up-to-date information on a wide range of topics of relevance to those providing care towards the end of life no matter what the disease may be. We present a global perspective on contemporary and classic issues in palliative care with authors from a wide range of disciplines involved in this essential aspect of care. The Textbook includes sections addressing aspects such as symptom management and care provision, organization of care in different settings, care in specific disease groups, palliative care emergencies, ethics, public health approaches and research in palliative care.

This Textbook will be of value to practitioners in all disciplines and professions where the care of people approaching death is important, specialists as well as non-specialists, in any setting where people with serious advanced illnesses are residing. It is also an important resource for researchers, policy-and decision-makers at national or regional levels. Neither the science nor the art of palliative care will stand still so we aim to keep this Textbook updated as the authors find new evidence and approaches to care.

Roderick MacLeod is the holder of several degrees and Fellowships including MB, ChB, MMedEd, PhD, FRCGP, FAChPM. He was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2015. He is currently Consultant in Palliative Care at HammondCare in Sydney and Honorary Professor in the University of Sydney School of Medicine, Australia and Honorary Clinical Professor in the Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care, University of Auckland, New Zealand. Professor MacLeod has been involved in palliative care for over 30 years and has practiced in the UK, New Zealand and Australia. He has published over 120 peer-reviewed articles on aspects of palliative care and has written many books and book chapters on Palliative Care. He has been on the editorial board of a number of international journals and is a reviewer for many palliative care and health-related journals.

Lieve Van den Block is Professor of Ageing and Palliative Care at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and chair of the Ageing and Palliative Care Research Programme at the End-of-Life Care Research Group of the VUB and Ghent University in Belgium. She holds a PhD in Medical Social Sciences and a Clinical Psychology Master. Professor Van den Block has been involved in palliative care research for over 15 years, focusing on national and international public health and interventional research aimed at monitoring and improving palliative and end-of-life care. She has received several scientific awards for her work including the 2014 Early Researcher Award of the European Association for Palliative Care. She has published over 100 peer-reviewed articles on palliative care and is editor and author of several books and chapters. Her work has been supported by grants from the European Commission, national fundamental and applied research foundations, and leading medical and health charities.