Hackney pledges to redouble efforts to support dying and bereaved
Hackney’s Health and Wellbeing Board has committed to ensure that services for the dying, their families and carers in the borough are made as effective as possible.
The Board, made up of Hackney Council, Hackney & City Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and other key health and social care organisations, held an event on 27 May 2015 to sign the Dying Well Community Charter, along with other local organisations involved in caring for the dying and bereaved, such as St Joseph’s Hospice, Social Action for Health, the City & Hackney GP Confederation, the Homerton NHS University Hospital and Newham CCG.
The commitment follows the announcement in January that Hackney has been chosen by the National Council for Palliative Care (NCPC) and Public Health England (PHE) to be one of eight national pathfinders to implement the Dying Well Community Charter.
The Charter, developed by the NCPC and PHE, sets five priorities for care to ensure that dying and bereaved people are treated with dignity and respect, are involved in decisions and supported to plan for the end of life. The pathfinder status means that Hackney will receive support and resources from the NCPC and PHE to implement the Charter.
Cllr Jonathan McShane, Chair of Hackney Health and Wellbeing board said: “We know there is a long way to go as a nation in addressing death and dying well. It can be a taboo subject, which means that sometimes people don’t get the care and support they need. It’s fantastic to see so many local organisations sign up to the Charter, which will help services to work together to improve services and support for the dying, their families and carers.”
Michael Kerin, Health and Wellbeing Board member from the voluntary sector and Chief Executive of St Joseph’s Hospice said: “We are proud to be chosen as a pathfinder – the London borough of Hackney needs to galvanise support from every corner of our borough, schools, housing agencies, faith groups, the police and many other organisations have a vital role to play. This is about mobilising communities – and particularly our richly diverse Hackney communities – to offer help and comfort to their neighbours.”
If you would like to sign up to the Dying Well Community Charter or want more information please contact Michael Kerin, Chief Executive, St. Joseph’s Hospice on 020 8525 6087.
Notes to Editors
Find out more about the Charter at http://www.ncpc.org.uk/communitycharter
Hackney Health and Wellbeing Board
- Hackney Health and Wellbeing Board was established as part of the Government's changes to the NHS. It became a statutory committee of the Council on 1 April 2013.
- The partnership brings together senior leaders from the NHS, Hackney Council, Healthwatch and the Voluntary and Community sector to work together to improve the health and wellbeing of people in Hackney and reduce health inequalities.
St Joseph’s Hospice
- St Joseph’s Hospice is one of the oldest and largest hospices in Britain, founded in 1905 by the Religious Sisters of Charity.
- St Joseph’s Hospice is an independent charity providing compassionate support and care for people with life-limiting conditions and terminal illnesses in Hackney and the City of London, Newham and Tower Hamlets in the Hospice and at home.
- St Joseph’s Hospice helps people with terminal illness and their families live their lives as well as they can until death, through a range of services including rehabilitation, respite care, out-patients, day hospice, complementary therapies, breathing clinics, gym and support groups.
- Media contact: Claire Learner, PR Manager, 020 8525 3208, 07736 313698 or email c.learner@stjh.org.uk