Sounds like a bit of Public Transport work to me.
In the unfortunate case of the terminaly ill being given their "last tour of the UK" then that is 100% public transport. If they had wanted to have a flight lesson befrore they gained their wings then that is one thing but satements like this make the reputable training organisations cringe because it simply shows how other organisations are regularly flouting the Public Transport rules.
Pretty clear you've not been in that position. Any reputable instructor is well aware of their legal obligations - and also aware of their role, ie to instruct. That instruction does not have to require any obligation to complete a course. The trial lesson for someone who is terminally ill is an entirely instructional flight - what else would you call a flight where someone with no flight experience learns the basics of the flight controls and can be handed control of the aircraft safely?? As proof of this I have a cancer patient (who is aware that he will never get a licence...) who takes lessons as & when his health permits (rarely) purely to learn more about aircraft. Is that PT...?