Prof Richard Harding speaks to ecancer about community-based ownership of palliative care, a topic which he presented at the Palliative Care, Culture and the Clinic symposium virtual event in January 2021.

He reflects on current and future challenges and opportunities in this area, saying that it is important to build the evidence that we need to meet the needs of people with life-limiting or life-threatening illnesses and to build the capacity to make sure to deliver this as both a clinical and academic discipline.

Prof Harding notes that only around 10% of people who need palliative care currently get it worldwide, and it is projected that by 2060 there will be a massive increase in the future of people dying with serious health-related suffering, particularly in low-middle income countries. He stresses that this emphasises the importance of local services that are appropriate to the context, and discusses what this involves.