Dying Matters and NEoLCP responds to Daily Mail article

This week, The Daily Mail newspaper published a report entitled "Put 1 in 100 patients on death list, GPs told". Dying Matters Chief Executive Eve Richardson and National End of Life Care Programme Director Claire Henry responded with the letter below, which has been sent to The Daily Mail. 

Dear Sir,

Far from being placed on a "death list" as your article misleadingly suggests ('Put 1 in 100 patients on death list, GPs told', 17 October 2012), it is crucially important that GPs talk sensitively to people in their practice who are coming towards the end of their life about their wishes, such as whether they want to be cared for in their own home rather than in hospital.

After all, half a million people in England die every year, but many people aren't getting the end of life care that they need, often because their wishes have not been discussed with them. After loved ones, people tell us it is their GPs they want to turn to for information and support about planning for their end of life wishes.

Eve Richardson, Chief Executive, Dying Matters Coalition

Claire Henry, Director, National End of Life Care Programme

More

The GP Pilot Project, carried out by Dying Matters in 2011, showed that with limited intervention it is possible to transform the confidence of GPs in talking about dying with patients, consequently measurably improving end of life care. Find out more.