First national advance care planning forum held in Auckland

Over 250 people attended the first ever national advance care planning forum and public evening event, held at the Ellerslie Event Centre, Auckland.

The forum featured a plenary address from Will Cairns – state-wide clinical lead for end-of-life care for Queensland – who talked about the history of death and dying through the ages. Other sessions included:

• starting the ACP conversation
• missed opportunities for ACP
• end of life in different cultures
• acute care and the impact of positivity at the end of life
• the role of nursing in ACP
• ACP and palliative care.

Consumers contributed throughout the programme, sharing their experiences and offering suggestions as to how to approach and improve advance care planning in New Zealand. Arthur Te Anini, who has respiratory illness, received a standing ovation after talking about his reasons for having an advance care plan.

In the evening of day one – Monday 28 November 2016 – there was a public event MCed by comedian and actor Mark Hadlow. This provided an opportunity for the public to learn more about advance care planning in an informal, supportive environment.