Course: End of Life and Palliative Care Training

When the Department of Health published its End of Life Care Strategy for England in July 2008, they aimed to promote high-quality care for all adults at the end of life. The Strategy recognised that a 'cultural shift in attitude and behaviour related to end of life care' needed to occur within the health and social care workforce. This is a major challenge, given that in England alone, this represents more than 2.5 million employees involved in this type of care. The ‘End of Life and Palliative Care Module’ explores the key concepts on the preparation, planning, care and support of those who are dying and the people who are close to them.

Course Contents:

• Module 1
  • Course Overview and Learning Objectives
  • Definitions of End of Life and Palliative Care
  • Key organisations
  • A Multidisciplinary Approach to Care
  • Core Competences of Palliative Care
  • Healthcare Worker Considerations
  • End of Life Care Barriers recognised by NICE
  • Comparisons of Palliative Care and End of Life Care
  • The Three Illness Trajectories
  • Mental Capacity in Decision making
  • Advance Care Planning
  • Communication Skills
  • Recording and Communicating Decisions
  • Death and Bereavement
  • Support for Healthcare Workers
• Module 2
  • Support and Palliative Care for Adults with Cancer
  • NICE Clinical Guidance
  • Improving Quality of Life
  • Transitioning to End of Life Care
  • Patients with Learning Disabilities
  • Different Cultural Backgrounds
  • The Healthcare Worker's Role
  • Helpful Services for Families and Carers
• Module 3
  • Symptoms and Their Assessment
  • Patient Comfort
  • Opioid Treatment
  • Anticipatory Prescribing
  • Decision Making and Treatment
  • Additional Resources