Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to improve the support that people at the end of life receive so that they can die in their preferred place of care.

The Government is committed to expanding choice in end of life care by supporting people’s preferences about how to have a good death. On 1 July 2014, we announced a review of choice in end-of-life care led by Claire Henry, Chief Executive of the National Council for Palliative Care.

The Programme Board leading this work consists of representatives from charities, people with personal experience of end of life care (including carers), clinicians and policy makers. The review will undertake extensive public consultation to define what people want in end of life services, and will provide advice to the Government on the policy initiatives required to enable people’s preferences to be met. This advice will be provided by early next year.