Hello my name is… James
I support the general public, end of life, palliative care, hospice and charity sector with aspects relating for planning for death digitally and the internet. I develop technology platforms, provide thought leadership, training, tutorials and devise public awareness campaigns in areas relating to end of life planning, digital legacy, hospice care and palliative care.
I founded the the advance and future care planning platform MyWishes. It is free to use and both recommended and entrusted by a variety of NHS Trusts and Local Councils
In 2015 I founded the Digital Legacy Association. The Digital Legacy Association is a not for profit organisation providing training, frameworks and best practice in areas relating to digital assets planning and digital legacy safeguarding for both professionals and the general public. The Digital Legacy Association organises the annual Digital Legacy Conference in a different city each year.
The areas in which I work
I provide ongoing thought leadership in areas relating to end of life planning, digital legacy, digital assets, grieving online, technology and the internet to governments, blue chip organisations, legal firms, the mainstream media and social networks. I am also digital research fellow for Harlington Hospice in North London . This role has enabled me to further explore areas relating to hospice care and communication. One such project titled ‘person centred virtual reality’ explored the use of creating person centred VR content for patients. This involves providing a 360 GoPro camera to patients families. The content filmed is then inserted into and played to the patient in a VR headset. This wellbeing intervention was devised during COVID-19 lockdowns and enables patients to be immersed within content created for specifically for them by their loved ones. To learn more about this project click on the following link: (Overview, academic poster (for EAPC 2021) and open access framework (for professionals).
In 2024 I launched the UK’s first National Advance Care Plan Day. It will take place once again in 2025 due to it’s impact and value.
Buy my latest book
You can purchase a copy of my latest book Technologies in Palliative Care for Older People from Springer (publisher), Amazon, Waterstones and in various book shops. It was published in 2026. To learn more click here .
How I spend my time…
MyWishes is a human-centred planning platform. It is free to use and helps society to document what matters most to them. Plans are made for the person’s physical and digital life. To learn more visit www.MyWishes.co.uk
Overview video
Jonnie Irwin making plans on MyWishes (for the BBC’s Morning Live)
The Digital Legacy Association is the professional body dedicated to end of life care in all areas relating to digital assets and digital legacy. The DLA supports the general public and professionals and by developing standards, frameworks, toolkits and best practice. To Learn more visit: www.DigitalLegacyAssociation.org
The Digital Legacy Conference is an annual event that highlights the importance of digital assets planning and digital legacy safeguarding. It is attended by professionals and academics working within the health, social care, legal, funeral and humanities sectors. To learn more visit: www.DigitalLegacyConference.com
I co-founded the UK’s National Day for Advance Care Planning. It is now be an annual awareness day of action and awareness. It includes a national conference and we list and promote local ACP events taking place across the UK.
Tablets Against Loneliness provided tablets to vulnerable and lonely people across the United Kingdom during COVI-19. Donated tablets were distributed to care settings, care homes, charities and hospices.
Working in partnership with the NHS Black Country ICB we extended the project to deliver 80 tablets into peoples homes.
To learn more visit
https://TabletsAgainstLoneliness.co.uk
Research
I carry out Research and Development into society’s attitudes and behaviours with the Digital Legacy Association. I also partner with external research organisations and universities for QI projects and RCTs.
I pilot and provide MyWishes to Health Boards and Local Government. Through the use of our own Analytics Dashboard and external data sources we are able to provide evidence of the intervention’s impact.
I specialise in…
- End of Life Planning
- Digital Legacy Planning
- Digital Assets Safeguarding
- Online Grief
- Advance Care Planning
- Digital Transformation
- Digital Death
- Death and the Internet
- End of Life training courses and workshops
- End of Life frameworks
- End of Life policies
- Designing and developing end of life websites, applications and solutions
- Quality improvement
- Digital Death Research
- Normalising end of life planning
- End of life software and application development
Training and speaking at conferences
My area of expertise is end of life planning, dying and dying in the context of the internet and connected devices.
I have spoken across the globe in various capacities for different audiences. These include the European Association of Palliative Care World Congress (Berlin, Madrid, Rotterdam), SXSW (Austin), The Swedish Palliative Care Association (Malmo), The European Law Institute’s Annual Conference (Vienna), Green Man Festival (Brecon Beacons) and Startup House (Hanoi)
Previous conferences and workshops
Get In Touch
If you would like to discuss anything please do get in touch with me directly
Speaking at your conference
I am able to provide keynotes, training courses and workshops for an array of different conferences and events. To learn more click on the relevant link below:
Social Media Links
Personal
MyWishes
The Digital Legacy Association
Example tutorials
- How Hospitals, Hospices & Care facilities can use Skype to reduce loneliness during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic (British Medical Journal)
- Your digital legacy: an emerging aspect of advance care planning (Royal College of Physicians)
- How to arrange and video stream a funeral on Facebook during the COVID-19 pandemic (MyWishes)
- On managing a digital legacy (BBC w/ Rory Kethlin Jones)
- Digital Legacy Association’s Resource Hub
- MyWishes LearnZone
MyWishes is an end of life planning software that empowers the general public to document and share their end of life preferences. MyWishes has evolved from the digital legacy planning service formerly known as ‘DeadSocial’ into a holistic platform evoking thought, planning and storytelling.
MyWishes utilises non-medicalised approaches to help make planning less daunting and approachable. The platform highlights the positive things that can occur when our wishes are documented and shared. By integrating playful features MyWishes makes this often hard to address area accessible and engaging to the masses.
MyWishes was developed with guidance, feedback and direction provided by members of NHS England, NHS Wales, The Law Society, The National Association of Funeral Directors, Hospice UK, Together for Short Lives and an array of technology companies.
“MyWishes, can help you set down what you would like to happen to your physical and digital estate”. – The Times Newspaper
Awards to date
- Top 100 Health Platform platform in the UK (2025). 57th place, F6s
- Best End of Life platform (2022) – Winner, SME Awards.
- Best Digital Legacy Platform (2023) – Winner, SME Awards.
- Palliative Care & Mental Health Prize (2023) – Royal Society of Medicine (shortlisted).
The Digital Legacy Association (DLA) is the professional body raising awareness and improving areas relating to digital assets planning and digital legacy safeguarding.
Over the last 10 year’s the DLA has campaigned and raised awareness about the importance of planning for our digital lives. We do this by training and supporting the general public health, legal, government and other relevant professionals. Our impact includes research, policy change at governmental levels, a more empowered society and an up-skilled workforce about to provide support relevant to the services they provide and the communities they serve.
Despite being based in the UK we work internationally on a variety of different projects.
The importance of making plans for your social media and other online accounts and the need to have a 'Social Media Will' in place. You can download the template referenced, for free below ????https://t.co/EqNvpQTgpA ????#digitallegacy #lifehacks #socialmedia #digitalassets pic.twitter.com/jKxlKwkRTy
— The Digital Legacy Association (@DigitalLegacyCo) August 3, 2024
Get In Touch
If you would like to discuss anything please do get in touch with me directly
