The ‘Choice not Chance’ campaign, launched this week by the Ministry of Justice, encourages people to think about, and talk about, what might happen in the event of their death, or if they lose mental capacity and need somebody to make decisions for them.
Initially targeting people aged 25 to 50, who less inclined to think about planning for the future and what the consequences might be should the unexpected happen, the campaign will encourage people to make a will, put in place a lasting power of attorney and to sign up to the organ donation register.
A new website (www.gov.uk/choicenotchance) has been set up to help guide people through these three processes.
The Ministry of Justice is using the hashtag #ChoiceNotChance to highlight the campaign on social media, and has made available a number of posters which can be downloaded from the gov.uk website. Further campaign resources will be added to this page throughout the campaign.
The new campaign comes after Peers called on the government to address the poor levels of awareness of lasting powers of attorney among the general public. In a report published in March last year, the House of Lords Mental Capacity Act Committee said that “awareness needs to be raised among the general public of the benefits of lasting powers of attorney in order to encourage greater take-up, especially for health and welfare matters.”
Dying Matters has welcomed the new campaign.
“Talking more openly about dying and planning ahead is in everyone’s interests, as it can help ensure we get our wishes met and make it easier for our loved ones,” commented Claire Henry, chief executive of the National Council for Palliative Care which leads the Dying Matters Coalition.
Adding: “Since it was set up in 2009 Dying Matters has been at the forefront of changing social attitudes about dying and supporting people to make plan ahead, which is why we’re delighted that the Ministry of Justice has launched its Choice not Chance campaign. You only die once, which is why it’s so important to make your wishes known while there’s still time.”
Choice not Chance mirrors a similar campaign launched by the Childhood Bereavement Network last year. ‘Plan If’ encourages parents to put in place the practical things that would make a difference to their children and families if they were to die while their children were still young – such as Wills, plans for guardianship, etc.
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