The UK is officially the best place in the world to die, according to research carried out by the Economist Intelligence Unit.
The study determined the quality of end-of-life care across 80 different countries, with the UK ranking supreme while Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and Belgium filled out the rest of the top five.
Things like the quality and affordability of care were used alongside factors such as staff numbers and skills. The overall quality of both hospitals and hospice services also played a role.
The US came in ninth, just behind Germany and the Netherlands – while Iraq, Bangladesh, the Philippines, Nigeria and Myanmar were ranked lowest.
According to the report, it was the UK’s “comprehensive national policies, the extensive integration of palliative care into the National Health Service, a strong hospice movement, and deep community engagement on the issue” which set it apart from the rest.
