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Questions of life and death for NHS chiefs
THEY say death and taxes are the only inevitable things in life.
And, perhaps unsurprisingly, many people feel uncomfortable talking about money and their own mortality.
But health chiefs in Rotherham want to break down the barriers and are launching a new campaign to ask people how they want to be looked after at the end of their life.
NHS Rotherham which manages health services in the town plans to invest 3.7 million in end-of-life services – but before spending the money it wants to ask local people for their opinions.
Now, to reach the public, health workers are taking a camper van to residents so they can drop in and have their say.
Spokeswoman Janine Birley said: "We want to offer end-of-life care that is personalised, well-coordinated and enables real choice for patients.
"Many people don't talk about death, so they are often unaware of the choices they have at the end of their life.
"The vision is for end-of-life care to support both patients and their carers, offering services to meet their physical, psychological, spiritual, cultural and social needs during end of life care and in bereavement."
People can record their thoughts in the camper van's video booth or complete a quick questionnaire.
Staff from NHS Rotherham will also be available to answers any questions the public may have about end-of-life care.
At present an average of 60 per cent of deaths in the town take place in hospital and 15 per cent of deaths currently take place in care homes.
National research has found that over half the population would prefer to die at home.
The NHS Rotherham End-of-Life Care Team will be out and about in its camper van next week, asking people how they would like to be treated at their end of life.
The camper van will be at Asda, Dalton, on Monday until 13.30pm, at Wales market on Tuesday morning and at Rotherham Community Health Centre in the afternoon.
On Wednesday the van will be in Wentworth Garden Centre in the morning and at Dearne Valley College in the afternoon and on Thursday the van will visit Rotherham town centre.
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Thursday 09 February 2012
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