THE head of Scotland’s Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice Rhona Baillie said she agreed with the British Medical Association (BMA) that people should be treated as individuals in end-of-life care.

She said: “We understand that open communication is the only way to offer respect for patient choice, creating a gold-star level of care that is personalised to meet the needs of every patient.

“We firmly agree with the BMA that people should be treated as individuals. Palliative care is highly specialised and we believe that all patients and their families should have access to compassionate, supportive end-of-life care.”

One patient who uses the Glasgow hospice’s day care service, Roger Hynd, 73, from Giffnock, East Renfrewshire, is a former Rangers and Crystal Palace player who is also the nephew of legendary Liverpool FC manager Bill Shankly.

He said: “This hospice is a special place. I have found it very helpful, it’s a very safe place.”

As well as getting help and advice from medical staff, Roger has had access to a number of alternative therapies and has been involved in the hospice’s creative writing class because he wanted to write his obituary so he could pass on to his children and grandchildren the story of their family.

He said: “I wanted to write down all the names and addresses of my family so they have a starting place. I wound up with about half a notebook. I found it emotive remembering things ... all the people you know and meet, friends I made at school and college, and friends I’ve kept through all of these years.

“There were a few times when I was in tears. But I’ve found that here tears don’t matter, they are almost expected and nobody thinks of it as embarrassment.”

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