The collaboration aims to strengthen specialist palliative care skills and support within the community. Alder Hey will share its extensive expertise with Kentown Support’s Children’s Palliative Care Community Nurse Specialists, enhancing their knowledge, confidence, and clinical capabilities when caring for young patients with complex palliative needs.
Alder Hey’s Specialist Palliative Care Team (SPCT), comprising experienced nurses and doctors, currently supports children across Cheshire, Merseyside, and the wider North West region. This new programme will allow Kentown Support nurses to gain direct experience through clinical rotations, regular supervision, and access to specialist advice from the Alder Hey team.
Key components of the programme include up to six-month clinical rotations for Kentown Support nurses within Alder Hey’s SPCT, group supervision sessions facilitated by Alder Hey’s Lead Nurse for Palliative Care every two months, and the ability for Kentown Support nurses to seek immediate advice via telephone or Microsoft Teams.
“"The SPCT is looking forward to collaborating on this project. We hope it will help more families access high-quality palliative care nursing support and play a part in reducing inequalities in palliative care delivery."
This initiative aligns with national priorities for improved coordination in children's palliative care and enhanced access to specialist training and advice. The partnership is expected to extend the benefits of specialist palliative care education across local services, enabling more children, young people, and their families to receive high-quality specialist support closer to home.
