Press Release

New End Of Life Strategy Must Secure Dignity In Dying For Older People

16th July 2008
 
Responding to the publication of the Government's first End of Life care strategy by Health Secretary Alan Johnson, Paul Cann, Director of Policy at Help the Aged comments:
 
"Alan Johnson has set out a strategy which Help the Aged welcomes.  The need to secure dignity in dying is of critical importance for older people and those who care for them.  For far too long, there has been a presumption that death should be at the convenience of the system, as opposed to respecting the individual wishes of those who are approaching their final days.
 
"Enhanced support and advice at a local level would greatly assist older people in exercising real choice about where they die.  This is an important step towards securing true dignity - a watchword which Ministers are keen to repeat, but where we need to see concrete action among individual cases.  One area which requires particular focus is in the management of pain - Help the Aged continues to hear too many cases of older people left to face death without effective pain management.  We hope that this will be a major focus within this strategy.
 
"All in all, this announcement today is a positive step.  The challenge now is for Alan Johnson to turn his fine words into real action that secures genuine dignity in dying for all older people."