Dying Matters has launched a month long social media campaign on Twitter #Knowaboutme (not to be confused with the band or the free expression movement). It is being co-ordinated by Dying Matter an off shot of The National Council for Palliative Care and has the full endorsement of MyDirectives...so get tweeting.
dyingmatters.org/page/know-...
And here's what they are trying to raise awareness of:
"If you are unwell, or caring for someone who is, then telling medical staff your medical history, and letting them know what your views are about your care and what you want to happen and not to happen, shouldn't be a source of stress. And you shouldn’t have to keep repeating it unless absolutely necessary. It's a pain for you at a time when you have other things on your mind. And there's a risk you might miss something important the 20th time you tell it.
There is a better way. Recording your end of life care records and wishes electronically makes it easier for you, and simpler for those caring for you. The right information about you is available easily to the right people, reducing the time you have to spend repeating it. And it allows you to address the future, as well as the past, setting down your wishes for your end of life care.
This allows you to make your choices, and for those to be shared across the places and people you might see for care. It makes it easier for you to personalise your care, and cuts the chances of something important not being shared with the right people at the right time. It makes it easier for you to get what you want, where you want it.
So - welcome to #KnowAboutMe. This is a campaign by Dying Matters and the National Council for Palliative Care, commissioned by NHS England. Dying Matters encourages everyone to think about their end of life care wishes, such as what treatments you wouldn't want to receive, and where you'd like to be when you die. We all need to think about this, and talk about it with those close to us. Sharing that information electronically makes it easier for our wishes to be known and shared, and thus more likely we'll get what we want.