A public health initiative around advance care conversations and end of life Care

Abstract

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