The Oxford Handbook of Palliative Care is a concise summary of current Palliative Care Practice written by those actively involved in the care of patients in the last phase of life. While management of symptoms is a very important contribution to the quality of end of life care, dying is not predominantly a medical event, but an important part of life. As such the Handbook, while detailing the contemporary management of physical and psychological symptoms, also includes contributions from a wide variety of professionals involved in the wider aspects of care and support for individuals and their families. The Handbook also includes references and quotations from literature relating to the existential issues that surround mortality.