CARE Event Type: HELP

Palliative Care Emergencies

This on demand module is designed to raise awareness of palliative care emergencies, equipping healthcare professionals to act quickly and appropriately. 

This module is FREE for South East London and Croydon professionals.

Register here

What will I learn?

  • What palliative care emergencies are and how they differ from the natural process of dying
  • The importance of anticipating palliative care emergencies
  • The risk factors, signs and symptoms and treatment options for seven emergency conditions

Who is it for?

This on demand module is for all health and social care professionals wanting to know or needing to refresh their knowledge about palliative care emergencies.

What will the course look like?

After learning about what palliative care emergencies are, and the key features of seven common emergencies, you will have the opportunity to put what you have learnt into practice in a number of scenarios.

The materials will help you to think first about what you already know, so you can then build on that knowledge, as this is shown to improve learning. 

Holistic Palliative Care Assessment

This module is designed to introduce you to holistic assessment in palliative care. You will learn what it is and why it is so important in a palliative care context. You will also explore the four domains of well-being (physical, socio-economic, psychological and spiritual) to understand the kinds of challenges people may be facing in these areas. Throughout the module, you will be asked to question your existing knowledge to deepen the learning experience.

This module is free for South East London and Croydon professionals

Register here

What will I learn?

  • Why holistic assessment is an integral component of palliative care
  • Basic principles of holistic assessment
  • The constituent parts of a holistic assessment     
    • Physical assessment
    • Social and occupational needs
    • Psychological well-being
    • Spiritual well-being and life goals

Who is it for?

All health and social care professionals wanting to know more about holistic palliative care assessment.

What will the course look like?

This on-demand module introduces health and social care professionals to the basic concepts of holistic palliative care assessment. Throughout the module, the tasks will encourage you to be an active participant to strengthen the learning experience. A certificate of completion will be awarded on successful completion of a final assessment.

Nurse Development Programme

We are thrilled to run a second cohort of this highly evaluated Nurse Development Programme, offering a cohort of 30 early career nurses working in South East London with a 9 month programme which aims to nurture and sustain a thriving workforce of nurses who care for individuals with serious advancing conditions and those who are grieving.

Designed to empower nurses to improve end-of-life skills, encourage self-knowledge and self-care, and foster person-centred approach to practice. Ultimately, the programme supports nurses in their personal and professional development.

Applications are now closed and being processed. Do register your interest in the hope we can run a future cohort.

The programme is open to Band 5 and 6 nurses in the first few years of their career, who work with adults in South East London, who are interested in advancing their knowledge, skills and confidence in palliative and end-of-life care.

Applications are welcomed from nurses working in care homes, hospitals, mental health, general practice, community settings and prisons.

Applications for 2026 now closed – register you interest for 2027.

Programme dates: April – December 2026
Format: The programme includes 7 in-person teaching days, a one week placement,  approximately 1 day worth of coaching calls and online group learning (throughout the programme) and approximately 1 day of self-study.

DateDescription
21-23 AprilIntroduction to the course & Principles and Practice of Palliative and End of Life Care (in person)
14 MayKey skills (in person)
10 JuneKey skills (in person)
AugustBreak
4 SeptemberProfessional Identity, Efficacy, Behaviour that Challenges (1-day in person)
NovemberGoal review & organisational change planning (online)
15 DecemberProgress review & personal planning & celebration (in person)

Placements

The week-long placements will be in either June, July, September or October (dates TBC) at either Community Hospice or St Christopher’s Hospice in both community and in-patient settings.

  • Increased confidence, knowledge, and skills in caring for dying and grieving individuals
  • A clearer understanding of the challenges faced in end-of-life care and strategies to address them
  • The development of practical tools for building resilience and supporting well-being
  • A plan for future personal and professional development beyond the programme
  • Improved staff retention and long-term career development in south-east London

Leonor Pacheco 

Leonor is a Registered Nurse who trained in Portugal. She worked as a nurse in the inpatient unit at St Christopher’s for many years, including as a Deputy Ward Manager…
Read More Leonor Pacheco 

Marie Cooper

Marie Cooper is a nurse with extensive experience in clinical leadership and practice development across a range of care settings. Having led change in previous roles, she now enjoys working…
Read More Marie Cooper

Sensitive Conversations

This module will give you the opportunity to reflect on your current practice and consider ways to approach the challenges that these conversations bring. 

This module is FREE for South East London and Croydon professionals.

Register here

What will I learn?

  • The basics of good communication                      
  • Challenges of having sensitive conversations 
  • Learning from the past – understanding what patients want
  • Recognising the skills required for sensitive conversation             

Who is it for?

All health and social care professionals wanting to know more about sensitive conversations.

What will the course look like?

This on-demand module introduces health and social care professionals to holding sensitive conversations with confidence. Throughout the module, the tasks will encourage you to be an active participant to strengthen the learning experience. A certificate of completion will be awarded on successful completion of a final assessment.

Introduction to the Principles of Palliative Care

This module is FREE for South East London and Croydon professionals

Register here

What will I learn?

  • The definition of palliative care and its key concepts;
  • the history and development of modern palliative care;
  • the potential future challenges and changes in the field of palliative and end of life care.

Who is it for?

All health and social care professionals wanting to know more about the principles of palliative care.

What will the course look like?

This on-demand module introduces health and social care professionals to the principles of palliative care. Throughout the module, the tasks will encourage you to be an active participant to strengthen the learning experience. A certificate of completion will be awarded on successful completion of a final assessment.

Nurse Verification of Expected Adult Death

This on demand module is designed to help all nurses working in any setting, feel more confident performing this task.

It is acknowledged that registered nurses ‘want to contribute to the care of the deceased by providing timely verification of expected death’ (Jo Wilson, National Nurse Consultant Group) and that nurses must have received appropriate training and be deemed competent before they undertake this task.

This module is FREE for South East London and Croydon professionals.

Register here

What will I learn?

  • What verification of death means
  • The importance of nurses undertaking this role
  • The professional and legal issues surrounding Nurse Verification of Expected Death and those occasions when nurses must not verify death
  • The process, equipment and documentation required
  • The role of the Coroner
  • Communication challenges
  • Issues related to competence and accountability.

Please note that this on demand module delivers theoretical training only. Delegates will need to be assessed in their workplace by someone able to assess competency in that environment.

Who is it for?

This on demand module is for registered nursing staff that have support to verify expected deaths in their workplace.

What will the course look like?

Verifying death is a critical part of end of life care, recognising that care doesn’t end when the person dies. Without verification, no further action can be taken, including necessary steps like informing relatives and organising the transfer to the mortuary or funeral directors. Delays also cause unnecessary distress to grieving families.

We’ve created an on demand module suitable for all Registered Nurses to help nurses feel more confident about performing this essential task which enables necessary steps like informing relatives and organising the transfer to the mortuary or funeral directors.