The initiative is being led by the NHS, including Oxford Health, as well as local charities as part of the national Dying Matters Week (14 to 20 May).

The bus will be visiting six towns in the county over three days and staff will be on hand to create a friendly space for people to ask questions about end of life care such as making a will, planning a funeral and coping with bereavement.

The bus will be at the following venues:

• Kidlington 14 May (10am to noon) in Sainsbury’s car park, Oxford Road OX5 2PE
• Bicester 14 May (1pm to 3pm) in Tesco’s Superstore car park, Lakeview Drive OX26 1DE
• Banbury 16 May (10am to noon) in Bridge Street, near the entrance to Castle Quay shopping centre
• Wallingford 16 May (1pm to 3pm) in the Wallingford community hospital car park, Reading Road OX10 9DU
• Oxford 17 May (10am to noon) in the car park at the John Allen Centre, Cowley OX4 3JP
• Witney 17 May (1pm to 3pm) in the Witney community hospital car park, Welch Way OX28 6JJ.

Staff from Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group, Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and local hospice care charities that include Sobell House, Katharine House and Sue Ryder as well as Age UK will be on the bus to answer questions. The Co-operative Funeral Care has part funded the initiative.

Other events taking place during the week include display boards  around Oxford Health buildings, to provide an opportunity for patients, public and staff to share the things they would like to do before they die to enable them to talk more openly about death and dying.

John Campbell, Head of Nursing for Older Adults Service at Oxford Health, says: “Time can be the most important commodity in both life and healthcare. Helping people to discuss how they would want to spend time at the end of their life in a way that matters to them and is valuable for them is one of the most significant things that healthcare professionals can do to support patients their families and friends. We hope that lots of people will find time to visit the bus.”

For more information about the week and other events taking place across the country see: https://www.dyingmatters.org/page/map-awareness-week-events-2018