Developing a creative alliance with the 'person' beyond the 'patient' is a core tenet of effective palliative care. The need for a better understanding of how to develop active partnerships between service users and professionals has never been greater. This book examines progress thus far and attemts to delineate future challenges by bringing together a leading group of physicians, nurses, social workers, chaplains and psychologists who stress the importance of patient participation in palliative care.Recent developments are covered as well as bereavement issues and cultural differences. There is also material from the patients themselves. Most importantly, this book highlights the difficulties in involving patients in their own care due to poor life expectancy, debilitating illness and severe pain. More knowledge and insight is needed to see how far these patients can realistically be expected to be involved in improving the services they need.The book will be of interest to a multi-professional audience in palliative care particularly practitioners in general and specialist palliative care, specialist nurses, bereavement counsellors, and social workers. audience