The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) has launched Our Future Health, a year-long project comprising podcasts, debates, surveys and events that will explore the challenges facing doctors and patients in 2018.
To mark the occassion the RCP has released How can I improve my chances of a good death?, the first in an ongoing series of Our Future Health podcasts. In this wide-ranging, in-depth discussion on end-of-life care, three panel members speak with RCP president Professor Jane Dacre about the complexities of end-of-life care from both the patient and doctor perspective.
Appearing on the podcast with Professor Dacre are:
- Professor Bee Wee, national clinical director for end-of-life care for NHS England and consultant in palliative medicine at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Dr Amy Proffit, consultant in palliative medicine at Barts Health and honorary secretary to the Association for Palliative Medicine of Great Britain and Ireland
- Claire Myerson, patient with metastatic, advanced breast cancer and patient advocate member of Breast Cancer Care’s 'change makers' group.
Posing questions such as ‘are we over treating?’, ‘do we as physicians see death as a failure?’ and ‘what is advanced care planning and what does this mean for the patient?’, the podcast challenges some of the medical profession’s current thinking on end-of-life care and what can be done to change things.
- End-of-life care: can it be everyone's business?
- Your digital legacy: an emerging aspect of advance care planning
Commenting on the launch of the project, RCP president Professor Jane Dacre said:
Our Future Health will really allow us to start to explore the complex dilemmas we as physicians face in the NHS in 2018. By looking at a broad range of factors from investment and resources, to research and innovation, we will start to at least air these complex questions and help us find solutions for future physicians.
On the wider project, RCP clinical fellow Dr Sarah-Jane Bailey said:
This is a worthwhile programme of events that will be discussing really important issues facing the NHS today and addressing how these factors affect doctors and patients day-to-day on the ground.
The aim is to include all grades of doctors from right across the UK, in order to get a strong sense from them as to how we can address the current challenges in the short, medium and long term.
Keep up-to-date with Our Future Health on Twitter by following @RCPFuture and #ourfuturehealth.
