Table 3 Facilitators coding tree of themes and illustrative quotations

Increasing knowledge of the ‘death system’

Improving information provision

Provide more information to patients and families on their rights and choices to help guide conversations so that people can decide and opt for what is best for them/what they want (Participant 36, F, 18–24 years)

Education along the life course

Firstly being taught in schools. We learn about birth but not about death…. it’s still treated like a taboo subject and as a result nobody is prepared for it.. (Participant 305, F, 35–44 years)

Experts sharing their experience

Using similar campaigns which raised awareness of other social issues in the past. Also finding people who are willing to share stories and the facts….carers and the professionals (Participant 82, F, 55–64 years)

Improving interpersonal communication

Accessible communication from healthcare providers

Health professionals be more direct when talking about death to paitents and families (Participant 324, F, 45–54 years)

Practical support to improve interpersonal communication skills

Not sure, people don’t know what to say. Too much emphasis on being positive when terminally ill (Participant 119, F, 45–54 years)

Increasing awareness of different belief systems

Make it less medical so target the whole population on neutral footing. Ie not based on religion or beliefs but person centred and individual (Participant 32, F, 25–34 years)

Acknowledging individual responsibility in initiating discussions

By each person talking to families and friends about their own feelings/wishes about dying AND (harder to do I think) asking others what their views/feelings/wishes are regarding their demise- not in general—specifically about their own case (Participant 474, F, 55–64 years)

Encouraging acceptance of the need for death talk

Raising awareness of relevance across people and contexts

Change attitudes by advertising how easy it can be and the benefit it is when we all know what is to happen at the end of life (Participant 71, F, 55–64 years)

Addressing fear surrounding discussion of death and dying

By encouraging people to talk about their experience, take away the superstition that it's bad luck to talk about death! (Participant 158, F, 35–44 years)

Normalising death as a part of life

If the topic is introduced in schools, with death being treated as a natural part of our lifecycle, a lot of the barriers and fears can be overcome (Participant 42, F, 55–64 years)

Groups and Individuals with ability to promote the discussion

More awareness, news programmes, newspaper articles, social media etc. (Participant 6, F, 65–69 years)