The development of oral history with users of palliative care services in the UK

This article discusses oral history work in palliative care in the UK that offers people with life-limiting illnesses opportunities to audio record their life stories. Oral history is a biographical approach that captures personal experience and perspective, it complements and enhances palliative care by offering opportunities to record memories and have them permanently archived. Oral histories are recorded with no time limit or medical agenda and enable an expression of identity. Research on the impact of oral history in palliative care has identified benefits and challenges. Oral history provides a validating and dignified social activity, enables expression of pre-diagnosis identities that reveal the ‘person behind the patient’. Bereaved family and friends highlight that an important aspect of oral history is the creation of a voice recording as a lasting memory. Ethical and practical challenges include working with people whose ability to participate is affected by illness and the emotional impact of personal reflection. Oral history in palliative care offers insight into living with life-limiting illness and preparing for end of life and has capacity to benefit the wellbeing of participants and family.