A NATIONAL campaign encouraging people to talk more openly about death and bereavement is being supported by NHS Wyre Forest Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).

Dying Matters Awareness Week, a national campaign organised by Dying Matters, runs until Sunday. Among its aims is to make sure people's end-of-life wishes are met.

The theme of this year’s Dying Matters Awareness Week is You only die once, a call to action urging members of the public to make their wishes known and take five steps to make their end-of-life experience better, both for them and their loved ones The steps are write your will, record your funeral wishes, plan for future care and support, register as an organ donor and tell friends and loved ones your wishes.

Research commissioned by Dying Matters, a national group aiming to change attitudes towards death, shows that only 29 per cent of people have let someone know their funeral plans, only 36 per cent have made a will and fewer than 10 per cent have written down their wishes or preferences about the care they would want.

Dr Simon Rumley, chairman and clinical lead, NHS Wyre Forest CCG, said: “We’re proud to be supporting Dying Matters Awareness Week, as it’s really important that people express their end-of-life wishes to their family, friends and loved ones.

“All too often, due to lack of communication, people end up being admitted to hospital or receiving treatment against their wishes, just because they didn’t make their thoughts known.

“Death and dying isn’t easy to talk about but, hopefully, Dying Matters Awareness Week will give people the confidence they need to make sure arrangements are in place.”