New strategy for end of life care

The aim is to allow people to "die with dignity" and increase choice for the elderly and sick at the end of their lives so they can live and die in a place of their choice.

Lord Darzi, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Health, will talk about the strategy that is part of his recently published review "Our NHS Our Future" at the reception that has been organised by the Friends of East Sussex Hospices.

Other speakers during the afternoon will include Kristina Parkinson, Commissioner for Community Services, Brighton & Hove City Primary Care Trust; Dr Peter Greene, chair of the End of Life Strategy Development Board for East Sussex, and Shaun O'Leary, chief executive of St Catherine's Hospice representing the hospices of East Sussex.

Mr O'Leary will welcome the strategy and remind the NHS that independent hospices want to be involved in shaping the future of end of life care.

He said: "The strategy talks a lot about the importance of local co-ordination. Hospices are in a unique position to use our local specialist knowledge to achieve Lord Darzi's strategy to deliver high quality, well coordinated end of life care in East Sussex".

The reception is being jointly sponsored by Michael Chowen, who feels strongly about the initiative of creating a more joined up and equal delivery of end of life care and by Keep Able Limited, the UK's leading mobility retailer with nationwide stores '“ which also provides mobility solutions to national charities including Help the Aged, Grand Charity and Independent Age.

More than 160 people are expected to attend the event, including representatives from all nine hospices in East Sussex, cross-party members from both houses with an interest in health plus health professionals involved in end of life care in the county.