Children’s palliative care masterclass in Glasgow

There are currently over 15 000 children and young people who are under the age of 25, living with life-limiting conditions in Scotland. It has thus become a necessity to help and ensure that the needs of these children and their families are met. The Prince & Princess of Wales Hospice in Glasgow, Scotland have partnered with Together for Short Lives to host a masterclass on this issue.

The event is the second day of a two-part masterclass. The first was held in December by Dr Laura Kelly, who is lead consultant in palliative medicine at The Prince & Princess of Wales Hospice. “Topics covered in the first part of the masterclass included how we communicate with children and young people about their health. Sometimes they want to talk about their situation but they also want to live as much they can in the moment. The relationship that young people have with their peers is so important to them, so in our new hospice we have to look at how to support them to live life to the full,” said Dr Kelly. She further commented that “these children and young people are living longer but may be more frail and we have to ensure they are supported into adult services. Of particular interest to our hospice is the significant increase in those aged 16-25 years who may need specialist palliative care services.”

Part two of the masterclass will take place on January 8, and will be led by Lizzie Chambers, who is Executive Director of the UK transition taskforce for Together for Short Lives. “I’m really looking forward to the second day of training on January 8 which will focus on meeting the specific care needs of these young people and about how hospice and palliative care organisations can help young people to access the whole range of services in Scotland to help them achieve their aspirations in life,” said Lizzie. The masterclass is aimed at medical practitioners, nurses, social workers and various other members of the multi-disciplinary team. The class promises to be informative and will cover topics such as managing complex health needs and taking care of young people in the community. To read the full article, click here.