The Department of Health and Macmillan Cancer Support have joined forces on a new initiative aimed at improving end of life care on the Isle of Man. The two year project will work with patients, carers, health and social care professionals and the voluntary and faith sectors on the Isle of Man, to produce an agreed end of life care strategy and to develop an implementation plan for improving end of life care across a wide range of life limiting conditions. The Isle of Man End of Life Care Strategy will aim to identify what people’s preferences might be at the end of life and examine existing health, social care and voluntary support systems that will enable people to die in the place of their choosing. The Minister for Health, Mr David Anderson MHK said: “The way our society copes with dying does not always reflect how people say they wish to spend the last days of their lives. Most people want to die in familiar surroundings with family and friends nearby, cared for, free from pain and with medical support available when needed. The challenge is to help people to achieve what is most important to them at the end of their lives. I am grateful for the generous support provided by Macmillan in funding this project.” Macmillan Cancer Support has agreed to fund a new facilitator post for two years to run the project. Kirstie Turner, a Registered Nurse with eight years experience in palliative care, who currently works in Hospice Isle of Man has been appointed to the new post. Maureen Rutter, Macmillan Cancer Support’s Regional Director for East Midlands and Northern England said: “How and where people are cared for at the end of their lives is something that Macmillan has been concerned with for the last 100 years, ever since Douglas Macmillan founded the charity. So I am delighted that in our centenary year we will be working with the Isle of Man Department of Health to look at how we can help people have the support and care they choose.” Kirstie Turner said: “Dying is the one certainty in all our lives, but in our society people find that death and dying are difficult topics to talk about. A quote from Dame Cicely Saunders is used in the UK End of Life Care Strategy (2008). She states: ‘How people die remains in the memory of those who live on.’ There is only one chance to ensure that a person’s death is exactly how they want it to be. I strongly believe in equity of care for all those who are dying – regardless of cause, age, social or cultural factors. I am very much looking forward to all the challenges that the next two years will bring.” Kirstie takes up her new post on 4th January 2011. - ENDS -