Government agencies failing to treat dying people well

Hospice NZ has released the first 500 results from its Dying Reviews initiative – a platform where terminally ill New Zealanders and their families rate how they’re treated by hospitals, banks, workplaces and public agencies.

The results show an average score of just 3.28 stars out of five, with restaurants and events ranking highest at 4.55 stars, and government services and membership or subscriptions tied for lowest at 2.5 stars.

Modelled loosely on customer-feedback sites, Dying Reviews invited people living with terminal conditions and their carers to share how they were treated across everyday settings – from energy providers and insurance companies to employers, public services and gyms. The reviews were submitted by 380 individuals, either living with a terminal diagnosis or supporting someone who was dying.

Many respondents said the most distressing part was having to repeatedly prove a loved one’s death or terminal diagnosis.

Hospice NZ chief executive Wayne Naylor said it wasn’t about what was done or said but how people were made to feel.

“What this tells us is that while some individuals and organisations are leading with empathy, many systems are still designed for business-as-usual,” he said.

“And dying is often anything but that. Bringing compassion back into our systems is the key message.”

The reviews painted a stark picture. One five-star review read: “I was treated with kindness and empathy. They made a very difficult situation feel a little bit easier.”

But another read: “They told my dying husband to come in and sign a form. It was the last time he left the house.”

Hospice NZ has launched online training modules for banks, government departments and workplaces to help staff respond with more empathy. Several major banks and two government agencies have already begun rolling out the training.

FULL STORY

‘Why do I have to keep proving I’m dying?’ Dying Kiwis rate NZ’s compassion (1News)