Breaking the Silence: Cumbria is Talking About Living and Dying Well http://youtu.be/aRRpTbytA_0

The critical need for family, carer, and community conversations about end of life issues has never been more significant.  Although most adults would prefer to die in their own homes, only 22% of people in the UK currently do. [1] Caring for patients outside of their preferred place incurs significant costs to the NHS and recently published national statistics cite 54% of NHS complaints are around end of life care. [2] Yet as is pointed out in the national End of Life strategy, “In the absence of open discussions, it is difficult or impossible to elicit people’s needs and preferences for care and to plan accordingly”. [3]

Breaking the Silenceshares stories of patients and family members across a rural region in the Northwest of England to inspire others to break the taboo of talking about death and dying while healthy. Produced in collaboration with NHS Cumbria as part of a first community-wide public health campaign on end of life conversations and care, the project included the film, a designated website, promotional materials and a series of public workshops.

The Film Can Be Seen Here and will be subtitled if selected: http://youtu.be/aRRpTbytA_0

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[1] Office for National Statistics (UK) figures for 2004

[2] Spotlight on Complaints, Healthcare Commission report, 2009. (UK)

[3] Section 1.4 Dept. of Health, National End of Life Strategy

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Learning Areas:

Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Advocacy for health and health education
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Other professions or practice related to public health
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Public health or related education

Learning Objectives:
Discuss why engaging the healthy public in conversations about end of life care is important. Identify key benefits for families to consider in starting these conversations.

Keyword(s): Public health or related education

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am an international healthcare educator, the founding director of Conversations for Life, essential conversations for living and dying well, and Stories to Change, CIC, a not for profit promoting the stories of local people to lead culture change around major health and social issues. As project leads for this first, integrated public health pilot we produced the film based community engagement project in collaboration with John Ashton, NHS Cumbria, and a regional steering group.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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