Aim The overarching aims of the Cheshire Living Well, Dying Well Programme are to improve health and well-being by supporting a change in public knowledge, attitude and behaviour towards death, dying and loss and therefore make living well and dying well the norm.

Background St. Luke’s Cheshire Hospice engaged in a community consultation process which highlighted that local partner organisations supported a co-ordinated public health approach to raise awareness and change behaviours in relation to death and loss. St. Luke’s secured funding and a commitment of engagement from Macmillan Cancer Support, which included establishing a dedicated role to centrally lead and drive forward the agenda in Cheshire.

Methodology As death, dying and loss is a cross-cutting issue, it is important that a multi-faceted approach is developed and delivered in partnership. It is also important that the work is championed and embedded at strategic, operational and community level. The programme of work provides structure and support to enable partners to work together towards achieving the shared aim.

Findings and Recommendations Following consultation, six strategic areas have been identified; Partnership and Strategy Development, Financial Housekeeping and Future Planning, Resource Development, Public Education, Compassionate Communities and Healthy Workplace.

The work is also being championed at Health and Well-being Board Level.

Highlights include:

The formal launch and implementation of Cheshire Living Well, Dying Well Partnership

Identification of Cheshire Living Well, Dying Well Champions

Development and implementation of a range of resources (including support and training sessions for the public, staff and volunteers)

Development and implementation of Compassionate Community Volunteer Models

Presentation of the Programme at a local, regional, national and international level

Conclusion Improving the well-being of communities by normalising death and loss is a multi-agency issue and not singularly confined to those in the health arena.

This innovative approach identifies and enables partnership activity and the collation of evidence to progress further, with a view to mainstreaming the work.