Southern Hospices join forces to deliver Palliative Education

Otago Community Hospice CEO Ginny Green and Hospice Southland CEO Andrew Leys are delighted the two organisations, who share the Central Otago region, are working together to ensure those working in primary care can upskill in palliative care.

“It makes sense for us to share the teaching of this programme. We look after the Wanaka, Alexandra, Cromwell areas and Southland have Queenstown under their care. Our combined palliative specialist skills are incredibly strong,” says Ms Green.

The Fundamentals of Palliative Care is a HospiceNZ programme and involves ten focused sessions covering all aspects of palliative care. These sessions have been developed nationally and will be delivered by various specialists from both hospices – all experts in the topics they are presenting.

The programme covers Essence of Palliative Care, Pain and Symptom Management, Chronic Illness, Dementia, Ethics, Spirituality, Loss and Grief, Communication and Caring for Ourselves. It is being run at the Bannockburn Room at the Cromwell & Districts Presbyterian Church in Cromwell across five afternoon sessions on Wednesday - 13 March, 27 March, 3 April, 17 April and 1 May.

For more information about Fundamentals of Palliative Care click here: https://otagohospice.co.nz/assets/EDUCATION-FLIERS/20078ac0ea/09-Hospice-Fundamentals-Central-Otago-A4-19.pdf

Anyone interested can register via https://otagohospice.co.nz/education/events/ or contact Glenda Hall (OCH Education Coordinator) on 03 473 6005 glenda.hall@otagohospice.co.nz

Boilerplate:

The Otago Community Hospice is focused on supporting and empowering all people who are dying in Otago, to live well and die well. The Hospice provides specialist palliative care services free of charge. At any one time the Hospice is looking after an average of 205 people across the wider region. Our a multidisciplinary team includes Community Care Coordinators, palliative specialist doctors, counsellors, a social worker, an occupational therapist and a spiritual care co-ordinator, who work closely with GPs, hospitals, aged care facilities and the team of district nurses, to deliver the full range of palliative care services to the people of Otago with more than 75% of Hospice patients cared for in their home. The Otago Community Hospice is part-funded by a DHB contract, but each year has to raise 44% of its budget – which equates to $2.5 million – to maintain its free wrap-around service for those needing specialist palliative care.