Have your say: Help shape the future of palliative and end-of-life care

Talking about death is something many people find difficult, but your views can make a genuine difference to how support is given at one of the most important moments in life.

The NHS in the North East and North Cumbria is asking people to share their views through a survey – 'Thoughts about Palliative and End of Life Care'. It asks people how they feel about discussing death, dying and the care they would want for themselves or their loved ones.

Palliative care supports people who are living with an illness that unfortunately cannot be cured. This illness may be cancer but is more likely to be a long term condition such as serious heart or lung disease where cure is not possible. It focuses on helping someone feel as comfortable as possible in body, mind and spirit, while also supporting their family and carers. End of life care is a form of palliative care given when a person is approaching the final stages of life. 

Dr Kathryn Hall, GP and clinical lead for palliative and end of life care for the NHS North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) said: "Every person deserves compassionate and respectful care when they need it most. By taking a few minutes to complete this survey, you can help health and care services understand what matters to people, what feels challenging and what could be improved."

You can take part in the survey through the following link - https://app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/nencicb/thoughts-about-end-of-life-and-end-of-life-care. The survey is completely anonymous.

For further information, please contact nencicb.involve@nhs.net