Quality of death educational programme in a national reference palliative care unit

Abstract

ObjectiveTo report the experience of offering the Quality End of Life Care for All (QELCA) Programme, highlighting the distinct methodology for the training of health professionals.DevelopmentThe QELCA Programme, intellectual property of St Christopher’s Hospice, was offered to seven health professionals working in the hospital palliative care unit at the National Cancer Institute, between June and December 2022, with the support of Premier Institute. The programme, which originates in the UK, has been evaluated there and is currently being evaluated in Hong Kong, and is delivered in two phases: (1) a 5-day immersion programme; (2) monthly sessions of Action Learning for 6 months. Participants realised that communication between members of the multidisciplinary team, as well as between health professionals and patients/loved ones, was one of the key challenges for achieving quality of death in the hospital palliative care unit. This insight empowered them to drive forward significant changes in practice that promise to improve quality of care.ConclusionThe QELCA Programme enabled participants to engage in active problem-solving to promote the relief of suffering of patients and their families in end-of-life care.