Interdisciplinary Masterclass Programme: Blurring Boundaries

Categories: Education.

Why an interdisciplinary approach to palliative care isn’t a number game but about a different way of thinking.

“You don’t need more staff, just a different way of thinking“

White woman with wavy brown hair smiling in a blue shirt.

Gail Preston, Rehabilitation Physio and Visiting Lecturer for St Christopher’s why an interdisciplinary approach to palliative care isn’t a number game but about a different way of thinking and why this programme is essential for anyone serious about delivering on people’s goals.

 

Why now?

When the World Health Organisation and European Association of Palliative Care recommend the integration of rehabilitation and palliative care to improve the quality, accessibility and effectiveness of care and support for people approaching the end if life, then we all not only have to listen, but to act.

What is the importance of building an interdisciplinary strategy?
As someone who’s been banging the drum on this for at least 13 years, it feels like validation when organisations like these add their weight to the argument that this approach is best practice and should be part of the standard offering.

For sure, we’ve made some real progress in working collectively to focus on people’s goals, asking not simply ‘how bad is the pain?’ but ‘what is the pain stopping you from doing?’, but there’s so much more we can do to bring our various expertise together. It’s only by doing this that we’ll make asking the question, ‘what matters to you,’ really matter.


What can I expect from this programme?

As part of our ongoing commitment to an interdisciplinary approach here at St Christopher’s, we’re delighted to be hosting a genuinely practical programme designed to offer not just warm words, but real-world actions PLUS the guidance and support to enable like-minded professionals to implement them in their organisation.

My St Christopher’s colleague Helena Talbot-Rice, our Rehabilitation and Wellbeing Consultant Lead, and Rebecca Tiberini, Consultant in Strategic Leadership and Chair of the EAPC Taskforce for Rehabilitation in Palliative Care, along with fellow professionals, will talk through the hows and whys of learning from each other, breaking out of our silos and understanding the strengths we can all bring to make it possible for people achieve their goals. We’ll also hear from people with lived experience of this approach.

Delegates will get to engage with practical examples of taking this approach beyond the four walls of the organisation in which they work, interacting with allied services and communities, whether that’s GPs, local heart failure or respiratory teams for example and influencing them to keep the person at the centre of everything they do rather than just their diagnosis.

How will the programme help me in practical terms?

We hope that day one will be truly inspiring. I know though, based on my experience, that too often I attend a conference or learning event and, despite feeling genuinely motivated to act, I blink, six months has passed, and I’ve done nothing about it. That’s why we’re making day two a space for thinking about what this might look like for you and your organisation, reflecting on where you’re at right now, considering who needs to be involved and providing some action planning to understand better how you can all adopt this approach together.

To assist further with that process of embedding change, we’ll be hosting 90-minute interactive online learning sessions in March, June and October to help you stay on track and share challenges. We are committed to being alongside people as they navigate this journey rather than leaving them feeling like they’ve been left to their own devices.

Is this programme suitable for me and should I come alone?

We’re recommending professionals don’t come alone, but either in pairs or as a three, so that you can encourage, support and hold each other accountable over the following months.

This is most definitely not just for physios and OTs either. For a truly integrated, interdisciplinary approach it requires doctors, chaplains, nurses, psychiatrists and AHPs to work together. So, we’d encourage people from all those specialisms to attend.

What if I’m the only allied health professional in my organisation?

While we’d all love to be surrounded by dozens of colleagues, that’s not the reality for most of us. It’s about an approach though, not head count.

You could be a solo physio, but if everyone adopts a rehabilitative approach you don’t need more staff, just a different way of thinking. Working in an integrated way, we’re not only able to help people set goals, but also to put control back in their hands.

The hope is that a year from now you’ll feel confident to ask someone what matters to them knowing that you will be in a position to work with them and colleagues to create an action plan led by the individual and supported by you and colleagues.

For more details about the programme on 6 and 7 February and how you can book a place for you and colleagues click here.

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