At odds with the End of Life Care Strategy

Dying now most typically occurs in later life. As such, the publication of the End of life Care Strategy should be welcome news for older people and those who work with them. In many ways it represents an acknowledgement by the Department of Health that most end-of-life care is not as good as it could be, and that some dying occurs in a manner that is not to be tolerated in 21st century Britain. Commitments to improve care through service development, workforce training and enhancing the evidence base for care provision have the potential to significantly improve the experiences of older people and their families at the end of life. This is very welcome. However, while the strategy begins by stating that two thirds of deaths in England occur among people aged over 75 years, I am not convinced that the real implications this has for care provision have been fully considered.