On 13 November 2015 the very first Belgian Conference on Perinatal Palliative Care will take place in Brussels. The conference is a direct result of the hard work and collaboration of two different paediatric palliative care education programmes, these being from FAPS absl Formation en algologie pédiatrique et soins continus et palliatifs and the University Catholique de Louvain. The conference is the result of positive and deliberate collaboration between hospitals and associations and the fruit of a year of negotiation and dialogue between people coming from different backgrounds.
The title of the conference is: “Perinatal and palliative care, an evidence?” and it aims to offer various points of reflection from neonatologists, nurses, psychologist and ethicist in order to build a framework of care which make sense for both families and caregivers.
Formation of Paediatric Palliative Care Group
In another positive development, earlier this year saw the formation of the first Belgian Paediatric Palliative Care Group under the leadership of Dr Marleen Renard from the University Hospital Leuven.
More than 40 people, from an interdisciplinary panel and representing several hospitals and associations working nationally in paediatric palliative care met together, in five different workgroups, to work on recommendations and guidelines for paediatric palliative care in Belgium. The themes of these workshops being:
- Definition of PPC
- Treatment
- Decision-making
- Organization of PPC
- End-of life care
If you would like to know more about the conference or the development of paediatric palliative care in Belgium, you are welcome to make contact with Prof Marie Friedel through the email address: marie.friedel@uclouvain.be
The brochure for the conference (in French) can be downloaded from the ICPCN website.
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