That we will all die is an unavoidable fact. Yet what happens to the body after death is still one of the most popular search terms. Part of Life went behind the scenes of Family Tree Funerals to discover more about the after death process. From funeral options to preparing the body, the role of children and the importance of ceremony, these two films sensitively explore what happens to a body after death and the importance of making plans whilst we’re still alive.

In this Radio 4 episode of Doctor Doctor, Dr Phil Hammond explores the life of palliative care specialist Dr Rachel Clarke. She discusses the importance of compassion at the end of life in an NHS overwhelmed, the lack of funding for palliative care and the lessons the pandemic should teach us about the importance of end of life planning.

We all have a digital footprint. Be it on social media, via music downloads, gaming avatars, voicemails, photos or email. But what happens to all of these digital touchpoints when someone dies? We interviewed James Norris, founder of the Digital Legacy Association to help answer some of the most important questions about how to manage our digital legacies. 

From his vision for end of life care at Somerset ICB, to the impact of his Catholic upbringing on his own preparations for death, Dr Bernie Marden shares his personal and professional views on how death is, and should be accepted as a part of life. 

With GPs in short supply and an NHS overrun, many advanced care planning conversations aren’t happening early enough, leading to a perfect storm of poor end of life outcomes for patients. Dr Mark Luciani describes how he suffered burnout and moral injury but has returned with an innovative solution.

In his second interview with Part of Life, ex-President of the BMA, Sir Al Aynsley Green shares his wife’s journey through dementia and calls for compassion to be at the heart of end of life care planning.