Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions his Department has had with representatives of the charitable and third sectors on ensuring that the expertise from those sectors informs the planning of the end of life care undertaken by professionals.

In 2014, the Government commissioned the Choice in End of Life Care Programme Board to provide advice on improving the quality and experience of adults at the end of life. The Board included representatives from leading charities concerned with end of life care including Hospice UK, the National Council for Palliative Care (NCPC) and Marie Curie.

On 5 July, the Government set out their plans to improve end of life care in England in their response to their recommendations after extensive engagement with the third sector. The plan set out the Government’s commitment to everyone at the end of life, and the actions the Department, NHS England and other arm’s length bodies will take to fulfil the commitment.

Implementation of the response is being led by the National End of Life Care Programme Board, chaired by Bruce Keogh. NCPC and two members of the Ambitions for Palliative and End of Life Care Partnership are included on the Board to scrutinise implementation and provide their expertise on end of life care.

Going forward the Government, NHS England and other arm’s length bodies continue to extensively engage and collaborate with the third sector. Currently Health Education England is consulting with the end of life care community, including charities and the third sector, on the development of a refreshed core competency framework to standardise end of life care training.