Professional study day l News l Demelza

In March, Demelza’s Clinical Governance Team welcomed a host of external healthcare professionals to our Kent hospice for a professional study day.

Healthcare professionals from across Kent and Medway were invited to book their places on the study day. It was here, with our Clinical Governance Team, that they explored the challenges they face in their own workplaces when caring for a child or family at end of life. The day aimed to provide the healthcare professionals with more of an understanding about end of life care outside of the hospice setting and how they can adapt their work environment to support a baby, child or young person, and their family at end of life.

Three nurses, wearing blue polo tops and face coverings, sit around a round table, discussing paperwork.

Timetable

The day, which was a huge success, began with a welcoming talk from Demelza’s Chief Executive, Lavinia Jarrett and included interactive workshops offering an insight into memory making, music therapy and bereavement support at Demelza Hospice Care for Children. In-house Occupational Therapist, Gemma Jones demonstrated the equipment used to assist with moving and handling children in the hospice setting and Demelza’s Nursing and Care Team were on hand to discuss the role of the hospice within palliative care.

Guest speakers included:

Input from a parent and child perspective, a Clinical Nurse Specialist from the Evelina Children’s Hospital, Sian Gaze (Demelza’s Highly Specialist Pharmacist) and the Lead Nurse from the PAN London Neonatal Network. The day concluded by welcoming questions from attendees and a tour of the Kent hospice facilities, including the bereavement suites.

Clinical Governance Facilitator, Sharon Williams, has said: “It was great to be back in the hospice delivering face to face training to 20 external professionals from the Kent and Medway area. These professionals consisted of a Community Paediatrician, Project Managers, Pharmacists, a Play Specialist, a Social Workers, social work students and Community Nurses.”

If you are a healthcare professional and would like to register your interest in attending future professional study days, facilitated by Demelza’s Clinical Governance Team, please email: jessica.blake@demelza.org.uk