Health and social care professionals across the county are getting together this week at an end of life conference to mark Dying Matters Awareness Week (18-24 May).
The conference, which takes place on 20 May, is supported by the National Council of Palliative Care and will give delegates the opportunity to look at how services across voluntary, independent and health and social care providers can be more joined up.
Dying Matters Awareness Week aims to get people talking about dying, death and bereavement and making plans for their end of life. The theme for this year is ‘Talk, Plan, Live’.
Dr Kate Granger is amongst the speakers at the event, and will be talking about her #hellomynameis campaign which she launched when she experienced life from ‘the other side’ as a patient.
Other guest speakers will include Claire Henry, Chief Executive of the National Council of Palliative Care, and Joanna Stonehouse, End of Life lead for South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust.
Dr Hein Le Roux, GP and Clinical Lead for End of Life Care with NHS Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) said:
“Providing high quality end of life care is a priority in Gloucestershire. The End of Life conference allows us to share ideas with the county’s health and social care professionals and explore how we will continue to improve to meet the needs of people nearing the end of their lives, as well as their families and carers.”