Save the Date for the NAHH Annual Conference Thursday 12 June 2025 ‘Working as a Community, in the Community’

This year NAHH was delighted to present a dynamic group of presenters who are involved in innovative and exciting work in the H@H community, all making the future bright.  We welcomed back Dr Rasa Mikeltye and Jane Diamond who presented last year and have supported the Learning Network.

The conference was well supported by members again this year. The decision to move from a face-to-face venue to a virtual conference, at short notice, seemed to open up the opportunity for more delegates to attend.  The virtual arena was still able to provide quality networking and sharing of practice. The NAHH is having to move with the times which has seen a drop in membership numbers, the cost of running a charity rising and reduced sponsorship on a virtual platform. We are the only charity to support H@H exclusively and the need to support our members is greater than ever as the pressure on hospice services and the role of the HCA develops. The level of responsibility and autonomy for HCA’s is huge. We are reliant on this sometimes ’invisible’ workforce which needs and deserves recognition and respect.

All the presentations support innovative practice, evidence based practice and information to empower H@H services.

Dr Rasa Mikelyte  Research Fellow University of Kent and Graham Silsbury Public Member of the Research Team

The H@H Toolkit provides a practical and evidence-based strategies for families/carers but also for strategic planning for commissioners. It is powerful research and hard evidence for our delegates to take away to use in practice. It is user friendly and has huge potential for H@H services to integrate into their services, by acknowledging the complexities of managing a H@H service with systematic practical actions to pressure commissioners and ensure quality of services. www.hospiceathometoolkit.co.uk

Jane Diamond  Family Tree Funeral Company

Death and dying continue to be a difficult topic for some people to talk about and Jane has an inspirational approach. The services she offers to families and carers is innovative and refreshing. The services range from hosting a death café, being a death doula , end of life planning and funeral services. It is brilliant to have the opportunity to ask the awkward questions around these issues and feel empowered to have these conversations with families/carers.

Elizabeth King  Weleda Skin Care Expert

We all felt very relaxed practising the exercises and slowing down for a few minutes. It is a great reminder that the basic and simple care around touch can be very powerful in the complex world of health. Also the power of smell to calm, soothe and evoke memories should not be underestimated. I’m sure we all went away inspired to ensure we take time to incorporate and appreciate the benefit of these skills

Lisa Booth Charity Manager HASAG

It is reassuring to know the patients and carers have support with such a terrible disease as Mesothelioma. The delegates will have absorbed the advice and recommendations to take back to their own services. It is a vital service which is provided and we need to ensure that everyone affected by mesothelioma is aware of the support available.

Louise Gilhooley Palliative Care Consultant and Katie Jones Head of Specialist Clinical Services Responsive Care Compton Hospice

An excellent presentation about the new innovative service that has been developed. The virtual ward allows patients to remain at home when they are very ill and have intensive support without admission to hospital. This is a great example of inspiring work in practice. It was a opportunity for the delegates to think about their own services and take away evidence for change. The delegates will have been empowered to think about improving their services.

Caroline Allen Assistant Director community Services Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care.

The need for collaboration has never been greater and the relationships they have developed with the paramedic service are commended. To be able to dovetail the services together in order to share skills and roles cannot be underestimated in the complex environments we work in. I’m sure the delegates will have taken on board their experience to influence their own services.

Ethypharm Leena Modha Sales Director

The information was provided on Actimorph which will be very useful for the delegates to take back to their services. To be able to have a dispersible morphine choice is very useful and some delegates will not have been aware of this option.

11 September
Alexandra Rowles, Specialist Dietician, Dorothy House Hospice Care
Diet

11 December
Deanna Mezen, Advanced Clinical Nurse Practitioner, HMP Oakwood
Prison Service

If you are a member of the NAHH, please contact nahh@compleatgroup.co.uk to book your place!

NAHH would like to welcome you to the new ‘Learning Network’. This will replace the current ‘Coffee & Chat’ in order to reflect a learning and networking approach.

It is an opportunity to learn, revisit and reflect on current topics and themes with like minded health care professionals. By sharing current practice and past experiences we aim to ensure patients and carers are given the best possible support.

The next Learning Network is:

13 December 2023

Coping with Loss and Grief by Sue Eskins, our very own NAHH Vice Chair and Trustee.

If you are a member, book your place now.

The dates for our 2024 Learning Network will be published soon.

You will be pleased to know that the NAHH Conference 2024 will be a live event so save the date now, Thursday 20 June 2024.

The NAHH Trustees are currently planning a great programme of learning and networking for the coming year and we encourage you to join us for as many as possible.  This is a great opportunity to also connect with other NAHH Member organisations.

More details on how to book will be available soon

Are you an organisation with a Hospice at Home service?  Why not join today and benefit from a full range of benefits including:

• Access to the reduced Member Rate when registering for the NAHH annual conference
• Access to the Members area of the website
• Coffee and chat programme for learning
• Free advertising on the NAHH website
• Networking opportunities and support from the Hospice at Home community

The cost of renewal remains, as in recent years at £125.  This rate is per organisation and gives you and your team access to all the benefits outlined below.  We are very aware of the rising costs being faced by every organisation and hope that the decision to hold our rates again this year will be another way the NAHH can support you.

Find more details here.

British Liver Trust have a new publication called Thinking ahead: Planning for your future when you have advanced liver disease.

The aim of the publication, which was produced in collaboration with the UK’s leading experts in supportive and palliative care, is to raise awareness of the support services available to those living with advanced liver disease, and advise on how to access them.   There is a perception that palliative care particularly is available only in the last weeks or days of life, while in fact it may be accessed at any stage of a life-limiting illness to help with symptom management and / or the planning of future care.

The publication would be of interest to those living with advanced liver disease or caring for someone with advanced liver disease – click here for more information.

The NAHH have set up a New advertising page on the website.

Click here find out what is new and to see our advertising costs.

Together for Short Lives has launched a ground-breaking new funding programme to help address the cliff edge in care experienced by young adults in their transition from children’s to adult services. The programme is funding innovative projects that have the potential to transform the experience of young people with life-limiting conditions as they prepare for and move on to adult services.

Applications for Round Two of the Improving Transitions for Young People Fund will open in March 2018. The Together for Short Lives website will be updated with more details when they are available: http://www.togetherforshortlives.org.uk/transitionawards

The NAHH have sent a succinct report to NICE regarding End of Life Care services which includes citing several examples provided by member services in the last 12 months.

The report is available to download here

The NAHH thanks contributors and welcome any further responses and is aware that some member services will have submitted more detailed evidence on behalf of your Hospice at Home service through their organisation.