Editor's Choice, Volume 112

I would like to record my gratitude for the work done, as a Commissioning Editor, by Dame Julia Polak, who died in September. Among other reviews that she commissioned for us she oversaw, with Dusko Illic, a series of 30 reviews on aspects of stem cell research in 2011–12. These were timely and well received. Her life was an inspiration and I will miss her. The first review for the present edition is entitled Care of the dying: how do we replace the Liverpool Care Pathway? (page 5) by Davis and Tomas from St Richard's Hospice, Worcestershire, University Hospitals Birmingham. They say that death is an inescapable certainty of life. Variability in the care for dying persons is a problem. The Liverpool Care Pathway (LCP) sought to guide care for the last days of life but was phased out after intense scrutiny. Any person's death is inherently challenging. Much consideration must be given to holistic needs when approaching death. Communication skills may be lacking for professionals and patients alike. The LCP became flawed in use rather than intention or principle. Seeming financial gains from death were a great concern. We have responsibility for making choices prospectively in order for them to influence our care when we are dying. Normalization of death is key on both micro and macro communication levels.