'We need to talk about death more:' How Welsh ambulance staff are being trained to support terminally ill patients
Watch the report by Jess Main
Talking about death is one of life's greatest taboos.
But charities and medical experts say it is vital to ensure those nearing their final days can spend them the way they want to.
The Welsh Ambulance Service has teamed up with Macmillan Cancer Support to offer staff dedicated training in how to communicate with patients, and the families and loved ones of those nearing the end of their life.
The collaboration is designed to improve the care offered to the terminally ill. Paramedic Chelsey Hampton says callouts to those nearing the end of their life are a regular part of the job.
"Lots of the calls we attend aren't the typical type of emergency calls that you'd expect", she said.
"We often encounter patients in the stages of end of life; maybe because they need some symptom management or family or friends aren't really sure of who to call instead, so we're often the people they call when they're not really sure of what to do."
It is hoped the collaboration will make ambulance staff more confident in dealing with these sorts of calls, as well as ensure patients are comfortable and where they want to be.
Richard Pugh, Head of Partnerships for Macmillan Cancer Support in Wales, said the aim is also to avoid unwanted or unnecessary trips to hospital.
He said, "As people near the end of life, dignity and the knowledge that their final wishes have been met is the best comfort and gift we can give them.”
"During COVID what we've seen is people dying often on their own because of the restrictions so more than ever it shows if we plan properly that is the best offer we can have for people we need to speak about death more".
In 2019, the Welsh Ambulance Service won an NHS Wales Award for its 'End of Life Care Rapid Transport Service'.
It works with teams across Wales to provide transport for terminally ill patients to their preferred place of death.
The dedicated service has made nearly 2,000 compassionate journeys since its introduction in 2017.Dr Idris Baker is the national clinical lead for palliative and end of life care in Wales.
He says making sure someone's final wishes are granted can have long-lasting impacts on everyone involved.
"We know that those experiences of the illness and death of someone close to you, those stay with you for decades after, for the rest of your life sometimes", he said.
"So the more we can help people to get it right for them, the more we can help it to be right for the people around them as well, and that has huge effects on all of us. One way or another we are all affected by this at some point."
This week (10-16 May 2021) is Dying Matters Awareness week in the UK.
Research by the Dying Matters campaign suggests just 13% of adults have told close friends or family where they want to be when they die, and just three in ten know how to make arrangements to ensure they die in the place they wish to.
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