Our clinical education team
Our team are committed to delivering excellent clinical education and training for health and social care professionals in our community.
At present our training is delivered virtually, please see our virtual events below.
Clinical student placements
We are able to offer a range of clinical student placements across our specialist care services and host students from a wide variety of disciplines, including pre-registration adult and children's nursing, paramedic science and social work.
For more information or to discuss your individual requirements please contact our clinical education team on clinicaleducation@keech.org.uk.
Virtual education events - sign up today:
Pain in palliative care study day
Pain can be a very distressing symptom when experienced by patients with life limiting diseases whilst also being a challenge to many healthcare professionals. This day will aim to improve confidence and knowledge with pain assessment and management.
This study day is aimed at:
Healthcare professionals who are caring for palliative patients and their families.
This study day will cover:
- An overview of the physiology of pain.
- How to identify and treat different types of pain in palliative care.
- Professional skills required to assess and manage pain types effectively.
- Exploration of pharmacological and non-pharmacological management of pain.
- An understanding of the characteristics of “total pain” such as emotional, psychological, social and spiritual pain and a focus on how these impact on the patient experience.
If you are booking on behalf of other individuals, please make sure that each individual joining the study day has their own ticket, even if you join from the same device. We will not issue certificates to anyone without a booking.
Essential End of Life Care Rolling Programme 2021 - for registered health and social care professionals
2021 - EOL Programme
This is a free 10 week rolling programme.
This is a weekly rolling programme, giving you the flexibility to choose dates and times that suit you. You can book onto individual sessions or sign up for a whole programme.
What can I gain from attending?
An in-depth overview of the key areas associated with palliative and end of life care (EoLC). Opportunity for Q&A and discussion are included within each session along with principles of how to look after yourself as a healthcare professional.
Who can attend?
Any registered health and social care professional (such as nurses, doctors, paramedics, social workers etc) wishing to gain more confidence for the care of patients with a palliative and end of life care diagnosis.
Programme 1 - Register for whole programme now
Runs from Tuesday 5 January - Tuesday 9 March 2021
2-3pm
Programme 2 - Register for whole programme now
Runs from Tuesday 13 April - Tuesday 15 June 2021 10.30-11.30am
Programme 3 - Register for whole programme now
Runs from Tuesday 6 July - Tuesday 7 September 2021 2-3pm
Programme 4 - Register for whole programme now
Runs from Tuesday 28 September - Tuesday 30 November 2021 10.30-11.30am
Click on the links below to book individual sessions
Essential Conversations
Exploring conversations face to face, via video link and telephone. Gives a structure and builds confidence in communication.
Register for individual session now
Essential Advanced Care Planning
What does Advanced Care Planning entail? When should it be done? How should it be approached? Who should commence these conversations?
Register for individual session now
Essential Recognition of the Dying Patient
This session explores the complexity of the topic and gives helpful insight into the dying process and what to look for.
Register for individual session now
Essential End of Life Care Anticipatory Medication
What are the essential drugs used, and why? What are the principles involved? Includes setting up a Syringe Driver and it’s maintenance.
Register for individual session now
Essential Pain Management
How should pain be assessed in a palliative/EOLC context? What about types of pain we do not always consider – spiritual pain for example? Can all pain be alleviated? Includes pharmacological/non-pharmacological approaches.
Register for individual session now
Essential Nausea and Vomiting Management
How to assess patients with increasing symptoms, how receptors work in recognising nausea and vomiting, pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches to management.
Register for individual session now
Essential Breathlessness & Secretion Management
Explores the range of conditions that may experience breathlessness, pharmacological and non-pharmacological management of breathlessness and secretions, alleviation methods for breathlessness and secretions.
Register for individual session now
Essential Agitation and Delirium Symptom Control
Explores techniques to recognise agitation and delirium in end of life patients, traditional and alternative methods of symptom management.
Register individual session now
Essential Nutrition, Hydration and Mouth Care
How to be aware of the need for nutrition and hydration management in palliative care, ethics surrounding hydration in the dying patient, pharmacological and non-pharmacological management of mouth care.
Register for individual session now
Essential Loss and Bereavement
An understanding of loss and bereavement, how to manage approaches to loss, strategies of recognising complexities of grief. How to look after yourself.
Principles of End of Life Care Rolling Programme 2021 - for unregistered health care professionals
2021 - EOL Programme
This is a free 5 session rolling programme.
This is a fortnightly rolling programme, giving you the flexibility to choose dates and times that suit you. You can book onto individual sessions or sign up for a whole programme.
What can I again from attending?
An overview of the key areas associated with palliative and end of life care (EoLC). Opportunity for Q&A and discussion are included wihtin each session along with principles of how to look after yourself as someone looking after a dying patient.
Wha can attend?
Any unregistered health care professional (such as health care assistants, carer, support worker etc.) wishing to gain more confidence for the care of patients with a palliative and end of life care diagnosis.
Programme 1 - Register for whole programme now
Runs from Thursday 7 January - Thursday 4 March 2021 2-3pm
Programme 2 - Register for whole programme now
Runs from Thursday 15 April - Thursday 10 June 2021 10.30-11.30am
Programme 3 - Register for whole programme now
Runs from Thursday 8 July - Thursday 2 September 2021 2-3pm
Programme 4 - Register for whole programme now
Runs from Thursday 30 September - Thursday 25 November 2021 10.30-11.30am
Click on the links below to book individual sessions
Principles of Palliative Care
What is Palliative Care? How does it differ from EOLC or other types of care? How should I interact with these patients? What do these patients want from me? Are there principles that can help me?
Register for individual session now
Principles of Essential Communication
Conversations with palliative/Dying patients are often perceived as ‘difficult’. Is this true? What do I need to consider? Are there principles that can help me engage effectively with this patient group? This session will build your confidence in your communication skills.
Register for individual session now
Principles of Advance Care Planning
What is Advanced Care Planning? Is it important? When should it be done? How should it be approached? Who should commence these conversations?
Register for individual session now
Principles of care in the last days
How to recognise the dying patient, what care in the last days looks like, principles of managing the patient at end of life, recognition of aftercare.
Register for individual session now
Principles of Loss & Bereavement
How to recognise loss and bereavement and gaining understanding of helping those affected during their loss.
Is there an elephant in the room?
One hour workshop
15th December 2021 at 2pm
Register Now!
What can I gain from attending?
More understanding around history and the taboo of death. Confidence to explore conversations around death and dying and preparation for future uncertainties.
Who can attend?
Any member of the public who wishes to learn more about death and dying
Verification of Expected Death
Monday 25 October 2021 - 2-3.30pm
Friday 26 November 2021 - 10-11.30am
Monday 13 December 2021 - 2-3.30pm
Monday 17 January 2022 - 10-11.30am
Register your FREE place now
What can I gain from attending?
The course is aimed at staff who wish to develop knowledge and skills in recognising death and the process of verifying an expected death.
Who can attend?
This verification of expected death training is suitable for registered and unregistered health care staff who are interested in taking on the extended role of verification of expected death.
Intermediate Communication skills
Wednesday 15 September 2021 - 8.45am - 4pm
Wednesday 8 December 2021 - 8.45am - 4pm
Register your FREE place now
What can I gain from attending?
This Intermediate Communication Skills training will enable you to enhance communication skills in difficult or challenging situations.
The training explores barriers to communication, strategies to manage conversations in difficult scenarios, how to explore conversations in ceilings of treatment or end of life care as wells as tools and skills to help you develop confidence.
Who can attend?
If you are from the Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes area and are either:
- A specialist palliative and end of life care practitioner
- Any NHS, allied health or social care professionals who regularly work with life-limiting illness of uncertain prognosis
- Social worker, care home manager or social care manager
- Registered professionals wishing to explore more challenging conversations and communication skills.
Introduction to Palliative and End of Life Care Study Day
Thursday 23 September 2021 - 9am-4pm
Register your FREE place now
What can I gain from attending?
An increase in awareness and confidence in delivering palliative and end-of-life care to patients with a life-limiting illness.
Who can attend?
Any registered or unregistered health care professionals with an interest in palliative or end-of-life care.
Skills Workshop – Compassionate Friends
Whether you are a neighbour, friend, colleague, or family member do you want to start making a difference in your community?
Sign up for the Compassionate Friends workshop
Wednesday 22 September 2021 - 10.30am -12.30pm - Register your free place
Tuesday 19 October 2021 - 2-4pm - Register your free place
Thursday 25 November 2021 - 2-4pm - Register your free place
A compassionate community is one in which everyone recognises that we all have a role in supporting each other, particularly during periods of crisis and loss. We want to create a community of Compassionate Friends across the areas where we deliver care to help dispel the myths about dying and bereavement, helping communities to be better informed and more confident in a having these conversations. Through this workshop you will learn more about body language, the spoken word and how taking the time to listen can make a real difference and turn that understanding into action.
The main areas covered :-
- Explaining what a Compassionate Community is.
- Interpersonal skills – how to use your listening skills, body language, spoken word and empathy.
- Dispelling the myths and taboos around talking about death and dying.
- How to start a conversation – questions to ask and potential responses to help you deal with the conversation.
- Considering your own networks within your community and how you could tap into these.
- Looking after yourself.
- Useful resources.
- Making your pledge to your community.
What can I gain from attending?
The session will provide practical advice on subjects including listening, body language and the spoken word to help enhance your interpersonal skills and increase your confidence to have conversations to help support others affected by life limiting illnesses, bereavement, and loss in your community.
Who can attend?
Any healthcare professional or member of the public in the Luton, Bedfordshire, and Milton Keynes areas.
30th Anniversary Conference - celebrating 30 years of making the difference when it matters the most
Thursday 21 October 2021
9am-1.15pm
£30 - Register your place now
We are delighted to announce our 30th anniversary conference on Thursday 21 October 2021.
We have an exciting programme for you:
9.15-9.30am - Welcome - Liz Searle, CEO Keech Hospice Care.
9.30-10.30am - Children’s palliative care. An exploration of the unmet needs of children and their families from the perspective of parents and staff members - Georgina Constantinou, Keech Hospice Care research student.
15min discussion.
10.45-11.30am - How can we all work together to improve palliative and end of life care for people experiencing homelessness? People experiencing homelessness are some of the most disadvantaged in our society. They die young, have high rates of premature ageing and multi morbidity and yet rarely have access to palliative care support - Dr Caroline Shulman, GP and Researcher in Homeless and Inclusion Health.
15min discussion.
11.45am-12pm - Break
12-12.45pm - ‘I am Dying a Slow Death of White Guilt’. Spiritual Carers in a South African Hospice Navigate Issues of Race and Cultural Diversity - Ronita Mahilall, CEO St. Lukes Combined Hospices, South Africa.
15min discussion.
1-1.15pm - Closing words - Liz Searle.
Presentations:
Georgina's presentation will include:
- why harnessing the experiences of parents is essential in the development of palliative care services
- interview-diary study with parents currently caring for a life-limited child and semi-structured interviews with bereaved parents
- analysis of studies
- why further research is needed identifying parents’ awareness of available information and resources
- further investigation into the working practices between services
- conclude the overall need for suitable respite to be available to families.
Dr Caroline Shulman's presentation will include:
- summarising some of the routes into homelessness
- the complexity of need
- barriers and challenges in accessing high quality palliative care
- what we can all do to help.
Ronita Mahilall's presentation:
- “Culturally appropriate spiritual care is increasingly recognised as a crucial component of spiritual care. As part of a larger study, we were interested in cultural issues as experienced by spiritual carers in a hospice in Cape Town, South Africa. We conducted one-on-one interviews and focus group discussions with a cohort of spiritual care workers, who, being volunteers and relatively privileged South Africans, discussed their sensitivity to cultural issues, but also mentioned a host of political and identity issues which profoundly affect their work. The data suggest that the concept of culturally appropriate care must be understood and acted on contextually”.
If you are booking on behalf of other individuals, please make sure that each individual joining the conference has their own ticket, even if you join from the same device.
