This module provides the opportunity to develop critical understanding of contemporary end-of-life care provision. This module is designed for all health and social care professionals who support patients, and their families, at the end of life, including: doctors, nurses, social workers, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, health care managers, medical students, medical and pharmaceutical researchers, health care educators, chaplains, volunteers and hospice personnel.
Palliative Care is a global issue. Caring for patients and their families at the end of life is increasingly recognised as a core skill for all health and social care professionals, including those associated with the organisation and delivery of services. The challenges in providing and accessing appropriate End of Life Care are well documented. The World Health Organisation Atlas https://www.who.int/nmh/Global_Atlas_of_Palliative_Care.pdf estimate that 20.4 million people with chronic illness require meaningful End of Life Care, and the Lancet Commission Report https://www.thelancet.com/commissions/palliative-care estimate that in the recorded deaths of 2015, 45% of patients experienced significant health related suffering.
Within the UK, the General Medical Council (www.gmc-uk.org/ethical-guidance/ethical-guidance-for-doctors/treatment-and-care-towards-the-end-of-life) and the Royal College of Nursing (www.rcn.org.uk/clinical-topics/end-of-life-care) outline the challenges, core skills and importance of considered, evidence based care at the end of life, forming the basis for the focus within this module. In addition, a key aim within this module is to consider the role of policy, examine key issues relating to societal engagement and explore the impact of national strategies on end-of-life care provision.
The module uses a blended approach to learning engaging a mix of online and classroom-based activities, encouraging both critical reflection and examination of clinical management and organisational practise. National and international academic and clinical experts lead teaching, with participation from the Academic Palliative and End of Life Care Centre, Liverpool, and from the International Collaborative for Best Care for the Dying Person. The Centre is the lead site for the Collaborative, which brings together multidisciplinary practitioners in palliative and end of life care from 24 countries, who wish to build the evidence base for best care for dying patients through collaborative knowledge transfer, clinical excellence, research, service innovation and quality improvement.
Liverpool’s School of Medicine is ideally located for access to some of the UK’s leading specialist clinical units. Students will also benefit from the expertise within the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences research institutes teaching and research links with the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, and surrounding medical institutions.
On successful completion of this module you will achieve 30 academic credits at M Level (7).