Culture, Palliative Care and Multiculturalism.

The frequently asked question, 'Why do minority ethnic groups not access palliative care?' needs closer analysis. This article sets out to revisit the context and principles of palliative care and discuss why palliative care services are not accessed equally by all cultural groups in western, particularly UK, society. The conceptual basis of culture, together with cultural diversity, will be discussed to foster greater understanding of multiculturalism with a view to offering recommendations for the provision of culturally sensitive palliative care. These recommendations will seek to be challenging but realistic, both for practitioners providing such care and for educationalist disseminating 'knowledge'. I will highlight what I believe are the challenges of providing palliative care that is acceptable to minority ethnic groups based on personal experience and literature, and emphasize that these challenges should be seen as potential opportunities. It is hoped that this article will set a platform for honest and open discussion about the way forward in providing culturally sensitive palliative care for minority ethic groups. I will pose a challenging call to all members of minority ethnic groups to adopt a more proactive approach to their own care by preparing themselves to be in an influential position in palliative care provision through academic and clinical endeavours.