12 Conducting research in the community: assisted dying and end of life experiences

<h3>Introduction</h3> Between June 2023-June 2024, St Christopher’s hospice engaged in qualitative research aiming to understand more about community perspectives on assisted dying. This was in the context of ongoing public conversation about potential legalisation and the need to engage with members of the community on the issue. The research took place in one on one interviews and through policy workshops, where participants came together to discuss their views on assisted dying and end of life. <h3>Design</h3> 50 Scoping interviews and two policy workshops. <h3>Setting</h3> Participants were recruited from across the five South East London boroughs served by St Christopher’s Hospice. The policy workshops took place online and at the hospice. <h3>Participants</h3> 50 residents living across South East London. <h3>Results</h3> The participants’ views on assisted dying were varied and were shaped by ethical stances and their lived experiences of suffering and healthcare. During the workshop stage of the research participants refined a list of policy recommendations. They prioritised (1) NHS reform, (2) improved end of life care, (3) greater death literacy, (4) enablement of community responses in end of life support, (5) rigorous safeguards if assisted dying is legalised, (6) improved mental health support, (7) improved advocacy and support of marginalised groups, (8) closing the gap on economic and social inequality and (8) better education and research around end of life. <h3>Conclusion</h3> The results reveal the current uneven and disparate experience of end of life across society. Participants, who had varying views on assisted dying, worked together to create policy recommendations that would ensure a better, fairer and more equal death across society. The policy designed reflects a broader understanding of the issue of assisted dying than has been suggested in already existing research and suggest wide-ranging reform to ensure that existing health inequalities are not reproduced if assisted dying is implemented.