Pain management Archives

This introductory programme is for physician associates with an interest in furthering their knowledge and skills in palliative care.

This is the first palliative care programme in the UK specifically tailored to physician associates.

This community of practice will consist of four afternoon sessions, providing an opportunity for developing communication skills and networking. The first three sessions will be via Zoom and the last session in-person at St Christopher’s CARE in Sydenham.

The four sessions will focus on:

An introduction to palliative care
Symptom control and psychological support
End of life care including recognising dying and anticipatory medicines
Communication skills involving scenarios

Who is it for
Outline
Tutors

Who is it for?

This community of practice is open to physician associates either working in palliative care or primary care within the boroughs served by St. Christopher’s Hospice.

CPD accreditation from the FPA (Faculty of Physician Associates) pending

Please email education@stchristophers.org.uk if you are interested to join this future community.

The global learning objectives for this community are to:

Understand the core principles of palliative care, including symptom management, communication, and holistic patient care.
Reflect on personal attitudes and biases related to death, dying, and end-of-life care, and develop a compassionate and empathetic approach towards patients and their families.

Philippa Guppy

Philippa is a palliative care trainee in London, she combines her clinical role with her educational role as senior lecturer, chief OSCE examiner for the MPAS programme and chief examiner…

Chris Mangar

Chris is a Clinical Team Lead working for St Christopher’s in Bromley. He has worked in the community for many years and in specialist palliative care since 2011. Chris combined holding…

As a health or social care professional supporting people at the end of life, do you feel confident and competent to support and care for people with advanced dementia and their carers?

Palliative Care for People with Advanced Dementia

As part of our learning programme here at St Christopher’s CARE to upskill clinicians and colleagues working in all settings to better understand and support the growing number of people with dementia at the end of life, we’ve created three training days looking at various topics associated with the end of life for people living with advanced dementia and their carers.

To meet the needs of people with busy working schedules and different areas of interest and expertise, this has been designed to be a flexible course – learners may complete all three days, any two, or just the one that most suits their needs.

Communication
Common symptoms
Key issues
Who is it for?
Speakers

What will I learn?

Thursday 21st January 2027 (virtual)

Communicating with people living with advanced dementia and their loved ones

Understand the different ways in which individuals with dementia communicate
Understand communication barriers and factors that can affect communication in a negative way
Be aware that non-verbal communication is an essential component of communication for people living with dementia

What will I learn?

Next date tbc

Common Symptoms in People Living with Advanced Dementia

Dementia: pathophysiology, aetiology and key symptoms
How to support people displaying distressed and adaptive behaviours
How to recognise and managing pain in people living with dementia
How to recognise delirium in people living with dementia
Discuss dementia case scenarios

What will I learn?

Next date tbc

Key palliative care issues relating to the people with advance dementia and their carers

This study day will highlight some of the important palliative care issues relating to people with advanced dementia and their loved ones. The goals of the day are to help learners:

Be more familiar with the signs and symptoms that dementia is progressing and of the last 6-12 months of life
Understand the importance of end-of-life planning to prevent crisis admissions to the hospital
Recognise and address ways in which dementia may impact on nutritional intake
Be more aware of how people with advanced dementia process and cope with grief and loss and how best to support them and their families talk about grief and loss
Understand that services can be developed to support people with advanced dementia stay at home for as long as possible
Know the stressors associated with caring for someone with dementia at the end of life

This course is pitched at an intermediate level and is suitable for nurses, doctors, social workers, occupational therapists, paramedics, physiotherapists and speech and language therapists.