• Dying Matters Week is an opportunity to continue building awareness around the essential topic
As part of Dying Matters Week (1-7 May), Newham Council is working together with its partners NHS North East London ICB, St Joseph’s Hospice, Compassion in Dying, Newham new Deal Partnership and SubCo Trust to continue educating and encouraging residents to learn more about dying, grief and plans for end of life.
Tying into the wider national campaign to open up conversations around different aspects of death and bereavement, Newham Council will be holding an information stall outside Stratford Mall E15 (near McDonald’s) on Wednesday 3 May from 10am - 3pm, where passers-by will be able to speak to professional advisors about bereavement support, advanced care support, MyWishes, a free end of life planning app and other support available.
Councillor Neil Wilson Cabinet member for Health and Adult Social Care said “It is so important to talk to friends, relatives and loved ones about your and their wishes for end-of-life care, and Dying Matters Awareness Week is a great way for communities across the UK to get the conversation started.
“We know that right now people are dying without the emotional and practical support they need. The pandemic has seen many more people dying at home, and while we know that health and social care staff are doing their best in the hardest of circumstances, they are often finding themselves without the specialist knowledge or capacity to look after dying patients and their families which needs to drastically change.
“By continuing to provide information to Newham residents, we can support the vital work being done across the UK to build awareness around planning for the end of life, and ensure that the health and care system can support people at this important stage of their lives.”
Previous work delivered around Dying Matters includes targeted educational sessions with the local communities to help raise awareness around Advanced Care Planning, and dying matters including works with South Asian communities working together with Subco, Somali groups, African Caribbean, LGBTQ+, learning disabilities and Autism. This was delivered through a series of training sessions and webinars over the year with information shared through the Social Welfare Alliance group encompassing around 900 health and social care groups.
Currently, Newham has a multidisciplinary End of Life Care Programme chaired by the Director of Nursing Integrated Care, responsible for identifying and implementing key areas of improvement required to better enable residents approaching the end of their life, their families and professionals to recognise, prepare for and manage the end-of-life process. The Board meets bi-monthly, membership includes NHS, private and voluntary sector organisations in Newham, local community, faith groups and provider organisations.
Additional support also includes MyWishes, a free-to-use online platform that enables residents to document their wishes, download and share them with both their loved ones and anyone involved in their care and support. Residents can create an Advance Statement and Will - documenting what they would like to happen to both their physical and digital estate, develop a bucket list and leave ‘goodbye messages’ assigned to specific dates and times in the future.
For more information about Dying Matters, visit the Newham end of life care web page.