THE Island's health department and Macmillan Cancer Support joined forces to improve end of life care in the Isle of Man in December.

Macmillan Cancer Support agreed to fund a new facilitator post for the next two years to work on the Isle of Man End of Life Care Strategy.

The 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.

Minister for Health 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."

Kirstie Turner, a registered nurse with eight years experience in palliative care, will take up the post. She will work with patients, carers, health and social care professionals and the voluntary and faith sectors in the Isle of Man.

She 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."

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.

"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 will start the position in January 2011.