Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the implications for its policies of the findings of the Flinders University study published in PLOS One on the potential merits of the use of positive words and sentiments to describe feelings about death for improving end-of-life care.

The importance of honest and open conversation is acknowledged as a key part in the delivery of high-quality, personalised palliative and end of life care. This is supported by extensive work on improving communications skills, increasing numbers of personalised care and support plans and supporting Dying Matters in their national campaigns to improve public conversation around death and dying. Dying Matters is a broad based, inclusive and rapidly growing national coalition which aims to change public knowledge, attitudes and behaviours towards dying, death and bereavement. The Department treats new research with interest and always works to ensure the care and support delivered is in accordance with evidence-based best practice.