The Hospice, although a key provider of Specialist Palliative Care for patients, does not work alone. Collaboration with hospital and community services is vital to excellent patient care, and much work goes into maintaining our professional links. Part of this collaboration is the multi-professional education and training the Hospice provides for staff from all health care settings in Bolton including hospital, community and nursing homes. We take pride in providing a variety of forms of education to meet differing needs, from formal teaching sessions and study days to placements and simply working closely alongside our colleagues.

We regularly welcome staff from Bolton Primary Care Trust and Bolton Hospitals NHS Trust who wish to develop their Palliative Care skills at a recognised centre of excellence. We provide regular placements for medical, nursing, physiotherapy and occupational therapy students from Salford and Manchester Universities, and contribute to the training of doctors wishing to specialise not only in palliative care, but also in oncology, medicine for the elderly and rehabilitation medicine. We are naturally also committed to supporting the continuing development of our own staff.

The Hospice actively participates in the work of the Bolton Palliative Care Education Group, which seeks to maintain education as a priority; monitor the palliative care education needs of local health and social care professionals; direct the delivery of palliative care education locally in line with local and national priorities; and assist with the planning and promotion of palliative care educational activities.

Further information
For more information about Hospice-based training and student placements please contact Dawn Whittaker on 01204 663066 or by e-mail at secretary@boltonhospice.org.
To discuss currently available palliative care education programmes or the End of Life Care module delivered through Bolton University, please contact Audrey Miller, secretary to the palliative care educator on 01204 462822 or by e-mail at Audrey.miller@bolton.nhs.uk.

If you work within health and social care services in Bolton and either your palliative care training needs or those of your team are not being met by existing educational programmes and study days, please contact any member of the palliative care team to discuss your requirements. Alternatively, you can submit a Palliative Care “Application for Training” form to Audrey Miller via e-mail or post to Blackrod Health Centre. Blank application forms are available from Audrey.