A facilitated, asset-based approach of community engagement for end-of-life conversations and care can catalyse community-led awareness initiatives. This occurs through the involvement of community and local health and social care organisations as co-creators of this change across multiple sectors in a sustainable way. This approach provides a framework for other communities seeking to engage with public awareness in end-of-life issues.

The critical need for family, carer, and community conversations about end of life issues ahs never been more signifi cant. Although most adults would prefer to live their last days at home with support, only 22% of people in Cumbria currently do. Caring for patients outside their preferred place incurs signifi cant costs to the NHS and recently published national statistics cite 54% of NHS complaints are around end of life care. Yet as is pointed out in the national End of Life Care Strategy, "In the absence of open discussions, it is diffi cult or

Healthcare systems and local hospices have extensive expertise and community connections around end of life awareness and care, however innovative and cost effective solutions are required to engage the wider (healthy, non-cancer, non-hospice) community if we are to align public preferences with outcomes of care at the local/community level in the future.▶Most adults have personal experience around death, dying, and bereavement.▶Leaders of community organisations are no exception.▶However, the varied backgrounds (personal and professional) must be given a common base upon which to lay the foundation for community-led engagement around this complex and taboo subject.An innovative programme is proving to be effective inspiring and engaging communities in the Northwest (UK) to launch awareness initiatives, overcoming the taboo of talking about death and dying, improving awareness of the need for advance care conversations, and increasing access to available community-based information and resources. Using a facilitated asset-based approach, partnership projects have been launched with funders, healthcare, hospices, and community agencies across seven communities (rural/city). Outcomes and evaluations to date from more than 150 participating organisations will be shared.

As part of the National End of Life Strategy recommendations and the Northwest Evaluation of Dying Matters Week 2010, Greater Manchester Cheshire Cancer Network aimed to provide enhanced communication skills training to all staff to achieve the following aims: Engaging both public and professionals in end of life conversations/advance care planning. Forging community alliances around end of life conversations and care. GMCCN and the Conversations for Life programme delivered a nationally endorsed approach to assist staff in overcoming the fear of starting these conversations with patients/clients in order to support patient-centred care. "Local champions' were identifi ed to recruit staff and a series of staff development days were held and evaluated across the region. Multi-service staff attended each session, providing greater awareness of the need and benefi ts of early conversations, multi-disciplinary team communication and enhanced patient-centred planning. Enhanced staff attitudes and approaches were found to support local strategies around end of life, palliative care and carepathway interventions in various settings: community, care home, acute trust and those working in long-term conditions. Outcomes and evaluations to date from more than 143 participating staff and commissioners will be shared.