Article Text
PDF
Abstract
Dying matters is a coalition which aims to help people talk more openly about death and dying. This includes raising awareness with the hope that more people will make plans for the end of life (EoL). As part of awareness week 2018 there was an online poll asking the question ‘How you would feel talking to someone close to you about their EoL wishes?’
Ashford and St Peter’s NHS Foundation Trust (ASPH) is a District General Hospital in Surrey, England. This year as part of Dying Matters week we sort to explore what the ASPH community felt about talking about their EoL wishes.
Aim To explore how comfortable the ASPH community is talking about EoL, and to encourage people to express their wishes on a ‘Before I die’ board
Method The Specialist Palliative Care Team held a ‘Dying Matters’ stand at the front entrance of the hospital and encouraged the ASPH community to complete a questionnaire regarding how they would feel talking about their EoL wishes and add a ‘think bubble’ to the ASPH ‘Before I die’ board.
Results There were 146 responses to the questionnaire and 90 think bubbles added to the board. Responses came from 125 HCPs (86%), 8 patients (5%), 7 carers (5%) and 6 visitors (4%).
108 (74%) felt it was very important to talk about EoL wishes, 130 (89%) felt happy to talk to someone close, 125 (86%) to a HCP and 97 (66%) to a faith or religious leader. The think bubbles centred around 3 main themes; comfort, family wellbeing and achieving life goals.
Conclusion Most people say they would feel happy to discuss EoL wishes with someone close or a HCP more so than a faith or religious leader. It is important to note that the number of responses from patients/carers was low.