We don’t like to think about death. To many, death and dying have no value and are relegated to the margins of our lives.

But about half a million of us in Britain die each year, mostly in our 80s, with half of us dying in our usual place of residence – in our own bed.

With palliative care stretched and family and friends often left unsupported, what could be an enriching and meaningful phase of life can become over-medicalised, transactional and feared.

There have been many attempts over recent years to normalise conversations on death, and in January this year The Lancet published its commission on the value of death following a five-year inquiry.

So how could we die better in the UK? Or as The Lancet commission puts it, how do we bring death back into life?

To discuss, our chief executive Dr Jennifer Dixon is joined by the two lead authors of the commission: