We were pleased to take part in Dying Matters Awareness Week last week, joining with many others around the UK in discussing issues around death and dying. The publication of the harrowing Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s report on 20th May continued the theme and has led to renewed calls for the Government to introduce free social care at home at the end of life to spare people from dying in hospital, often without specialist palliative care support. We hope that the wide media coverage, such as that in The Independent, will encourage politicians and health care leaders to improve the experience of dying, reducing the inequalities currently faced by many and bringing a new, compassionate approach to dying that is fitting for our society in the 21st century.
