End-of-life communication: let's talk about death.

Every year more than half a million people die in the United Kingdom, and most of these deaths occur in hospitals. While some deaths occur suddenly, the majority of deaths are predictable, occurring after a period of chronic illness. All doctors will at some stage be required to care for patients who are dying and communication is the key to doing this well. Sadly, all too often this is not achieved. Indeed, more than half of NHS complaints are associated with care of the dying, many of them focused on information and communication.