Health Secretary to listen to concerns on end of life care at NCPC event

17 May 2011
Andrew Lansley, Secretary of State for Health, is to attend an event marking 20 years of the National Council for Palliative Care (NCPC), the umbrella charity for palliative and end of life care on Tuesday 17 May.

Mr Lansley will attend as part of the Government's current listening exercise and will hear a panel debate, chaired by Dame Joan Bakewell, examining the issues affecting whether people really are able to die well at home if they choose. Afterwards Mr Lansley will speak and take questions and comments from the audience on the proposed NHS modernisation plans.

NCPC has spent twenty years campaigning for improvements and more equitable access to palliative and end of life care for people wherever they are and whatever their diagnosis, playing a key role in the Government’s National End of Life Care Strategy.

Chief Executive, Eve Richardson said:

“Caring for the dying is a measure of a civilised society and we only get one chance to get it right. We are delighted that Andrew Lansley is willing to listen as part the Government’s commitment to ongoing improvements in end of life care and ensuring the vulnerable don’t fall through the net during periods of change in the NHS. With someone dying in Britain every minute, end of life care has never been more important”

In addition the event at the Royal Society of Medicine will see the debut performance of a new play entitled ‘Home Death’ by acclaimed playwright Nell Dunn. The play follows the real life and death experiences of several families including the jazz and blues legend, George Melly. The event takes place during the second annual Dying Matters Awareness Week (16-22 May). During the week members of the Dying Matters Coalition will be holding events and activities across the country aimed at getting  people to talk about dying, death and bereavement and end of life issues.

Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said:

"I am determined that we give those receiving end-of-life care high quality services, with better integration of care, dignity and choice. That is why I asked Tom Hughes-Hallett to conduct a review which will report this Summer. As we support the NHS in changing, so that it is more responsive to patients with greater clinical leadership, I want to use the opportunities such as this event with the National Council for Palliative Care to ensure we listen to patients and clinicians about how we can help them further to improve the quality of care received at the end of life. In respect of my father's care last year, I know how vital it is for the NHS - in both primary and secondary care - for charities and social care to work together, if we are to meet the wishes of patients and their families."

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