Hospice chief executive, Tony Collins, has urged health and social care professionals - and society as a whole - to break down the barriers around the subject of death.

Speaking on World Hospice and Palliative Care Day, last Saturday, he said that having a good death was restricted to the privileged few who were able to access the right services at the right time.

And the problem, he claimed, is exasperated by the fact that the right services and the right time was unique for every individual.

Mr Collins said: "Dying is part of living and living is very much part of dying.

"As the Government's recent End of Life Care Strategy makes clear; one of the biggest issues we still face as a society is not talking openly about death.

"Statistics show that most people have never discussed death with their loved ones and those figures alone show us just how much we are in denial about our own mortality."

He said there were many good reasons to not only think about death but discuss it with those closest to us.

"These include an understanding and acceptance of dying as an integral part of living, the ability to plan and think through what it means both practically and emotionally for a person to have a good death, the breaking down of the taboos that may prevent our children and grandchildren from the same in the future," he said.

He went on to define what is meant by "a good death".

It is one, he argued, that occurs with family and loved ones around, which is pain–free or as pain free as possible, which occurs in an environment of choice, and in which dignity and privacy are maintained at all times and the patient and loved ones are communicated with effectively and sensitively.

"Expanding on this involves talking about the different options for end of life care, where we would prefer to die and whether we would like family and friends to be present," said Mr Collins.

"It could also involve leaving our affairs in good order and having the confidence that our friends and family are left with good memories."

A Saint Michaels spokesperson added: "We are the only organisation in the district dedicated to ensuring local people get the end of life care they need and deserve.

"We receive a £369,000 grant from the NHS towards the £2.2m needed to maintain our current range of services. This means the majority of our costs must be funded through the local community and our own fundraising initiatives."