Helena Talbot Rice
Helena joined St Christopher’s in June 2011 after thirteen years working clinically in the acute sector in the NHS. Prior to St Christopher’s, she worked in various large teaching hospitals…
We Need To Talk About Frailty Conference
From conversations to actions - a frailty and palliative care conference
Event overview
- 03 Dec, 2026
- 9.20am - 4.30pm
- In person £172 + VAT
Virtual £146 + VAT
- St Christopher's CARE & Online
Book now
Useful information
- Email us
- 020 8768 4656
- How to find us
- Delegate accommodation
- Cancellation policy
Our one-day frailty and palliative care conference brings together experts, practitioners and leaders from across health and social care to explore the latest research, policy and practice. More importantly, it asks how we can turn knowledge into action.
Through shared learning, practical examples and cross-sector discussion, this conference will challenge us to think differently about how we support people living with frailty and those approaching the end of life.
Please look at our ‘Progamme’ tab to explore the full overview of the day. The conference will include three workshops based on examples of frailty care in practice and integrating across systems. In-person conference attendees will have the choice between different settings; hospice, hospital and community. Virtual conference attendees will join the hospice workshop.
The theme of this year’s conference is We need to talk about frailty: from conversations to actions.
Frailty is one of the defining challenges facing health and care today. As more people live longer with increasingly complex needs, professionals across hospices, hospitals, primary care, care homes and community services are supporting people living with frailty every day.
During the conference, we will explore how health and care systems can work effectively with communities and wider society to support people living with and dying from frailty. Together, we will examine how we can move beyond recognising the challenges of frailty towards taking practical action that improves care and outcomes.
Through discussions on national policy, including MSFs (Modern Service Frameworks), alongside the latest research, innovation and examples of best practice, we will consider how different sectors can work together to provide more coordinated, person-centred care.
On the day, you can also expect:
- Posters and exhibition stands
- Expert plenary sessions, panel discussions and interactive workshops
- Networking opportunities with professionals from across health, social care and community settings
Join us as we move the conversation on frailty forward — from discussion to action.
Aimed at any health and social care professional who supports people with frailty and those who are toward the end of life. The day will be of particular interest to those working in hospices, hospitals, community groups, care homes and general practice.
Dr Sara Robbins
Sara qualified from Guy’s, King’s and St Thomas’ Medical School in 2011 and is currently the Medical Director at St Christopher’s. From an early stage in her career, she developed…
Dr Esther Clift
Esther leads an Acute Frailty Service on the Isle of Wight. She is an associate lecturer at Winchester University, leading on rehabilitation in ageing. She examines and is a board…
Dr Sarah Bell
Dr Sarah Bell is the Medical Director and Deputy CEO of Garden House Hospice Care. After training and starting her career at the Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine, she…
Dr Daniel Harman
Dan is a Consultant Community Geriatrician and Joint Clinical Lead at the Jean Bishop Integrated Care Centre (JBICC), Hull and East Riding of Yorkshire. Dan and colleagues working within the…
Dr Tom Downes
Tom completed medical training at Guy’s Hospital, London in 1993. He has been a Consultant Geriatrician at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals since 2003 and gained his MBA from Nottingham University Business…
Dr Daniel Stow
Daniel is a Lecturer in Epidemiology at the Wolfson Institute of Population Health, Queen Mary University of London. His PhD at Newcastle University examined frailty and end-of-life care in primary…
Dr Matthew Butler
Matthew is a Consultant Geriatrician at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, where he is the Trust Clinical Lead for End of Life Care, and the newly appointed Clinical Lead for Frailty at…
Mary Hodgson, PhD.
Mary is Director of Inclusion & Social Innovation at St Christopher’s where she is responsible for our community action, lived experience working and tackling inequalities work to create greater health…
Dr Sarah Ribbands
Dr Sarah Ribbands graduated Exeter University in 2004 with an LLB in Law, and latterly from University of Cardiff with a masters in medical law LLM. Subsequently, she worked in…
| Time | Session |
| 9:00am | Arrival and Registration |
| 9:20am | Welcome and introduction to the day |
| 9:30am | National Picture – current frailty policy Tom Downes, National Clinical Director for Older People – NHS England |
| 10:30am | What is the evidence on the needs of people dying with frailty? Daniel Stow, Lecturer in Epidemiology Queen Mary University of London EnRICH research Matt Butler, Consultant Geriatrician |
| 11:15am | Morning Break |
| 11:30am | Living well dying well – Frailty model in Hull Daniel Harman, Consultant Community Geriatrician Frailty model at Garden House Hospice Dr Sarah Bell, Medical Director & Lisa Hunt, CEO |
| 12:10pm | Panel Discussion and Q&A Including Tom Downes, Caroline Nicholson, Cat Sullivan, and Esther Clift |
| 12:45pm | Lunch |
| 1:45pm | Workshops: Frailty care in practice & integrating across systems Please see ‘Workshops’ tab for more info |
| 3:15pm | Afternoon Break |
| 3:30pm | Coming together from workshops Conference Chairs |
| 3:45pm | Final plenary – call to arms Caroline Nicholson, Professor of Palliative Care & Aging University of Surrey |
| 4:15pm | Q&A |
| 4:25pm | Reflections & Close Conference Chairs |
As seen in the programme, we are holding afternoon workshops on ‘Frailty care in practice & integrating across systems‘.
All delegates will attend one 90 minute workshop focusing on examples in practice and integrating across systems.
Anyone joining in-person will be able to choose when registering which setting is most relevant to you: Hospital, Hospice or Community. You will be directed to the relevant room for that workshop.
If you are joining us online, you will be automatically selected for the Hospice workshop.
Hospital
In the Hospital workshop, you’ll hear from two teams that run specific frailty services supporting people towards the end of life within a Hospital setting. You’ll have the opportunity to consider how their learning could influence the services that you provide. The two teams speaking at this workshop are:
- Croydon University Hospital A&E
- T2 Ward (The Willows) from Addenbrookes Hospital: A nurse led end of life care ward focused on the individual needs and wishes of patients and their families.
Hospice
If you are working in, or with hospices, this workshop will enable you to hear and develop your own thoughts on best practice. Hear from Garden House Hospice who run an Advancing Illness service and consider how this sits in the national context with Hospice UK. Bringing these together may help shape and influence your services.
Community
Creating innovative and responsive services that meet the needs of our population is essential in the community and links into the NHS 10 year plan. The Isle of White Frailty Service will share their experiences and challenges to support you in thinking how you can apply this to your practice, or develop services appropriate to your context. Explore the wealth of community relationships outside of existing and traditional organisational structures.
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Learning at St Christopher’s
Why our education programme?
We have a well-established programme of high quality, cutting-edge, specialist palliative care education, designed for those working in the UK and internationally.
Why St Christopher’s?
Education is at the heart of St Christopher’s mission to promote and provide hospice care of the highest standards.
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