A new community-based program for palliative and end-of-life care has been launched by UK charity Kentown Support. The program, which focuses on providing support for babies, children, and young people with life-limiting conditions, aims to eliminate the postcode lottery and address gaps in current palliative care provision.
One of the key issues the program seeks to address is the limited availability of community-based end-of-life support for children and their families. Currently, only four out of ten localities in the UK commission a community-based palliative care nurse, making dying at home an option for a limited number of children.
By working with existing local services and filling in gaps where needed, the Kentown Children’s Community Palliative Care program brings together various forms of support, such as nursing support from Greater Manchester ICB, coordination from Together for Short Lives, and therapeutic and bereavement support from Gaddum. In addition, specialized training and supervision for Kentown Support nurses will be provided by Alder Hey Children’s Hospital.
The number of children with life-limiting conditions is on the rise, with a higher prevalence among children from minority ethnic populations and areas of high deprivation. The Kentown program aims to address this disparity by promoting system change and implementing new ways of working to level up community-based palliative care provision not only in Greater Manchester but throughout the UK.
The UK government’s Modern Service Framework for Palliative Care and End-of-Life-Care has set an ambitious agenda for equitable access to high-quality support and a more responsive, needs-based approach. The Kentown program in Greater Manchester will serve as a model for achieving this goal, particularly for families from minority ethnic backgrounds who often have the greatest need for support.
To make the referral process more efficient, a single point of access has been established for professionals and families to quickly and easily access the program’s services. In addition, Kentown Support has partnered with the Cicely Saunders Institute to establish a Centre of Excellence in Children’s Palliative Care at King’s College London, led by Professor Lorna Fraser. This partnership will ensure that the program is data-driven and supported by evidence, and will also provide education and training for health and social care professionals and inform policy and innovations in care delivery.
Dr. Helena Dunbar, CEO of Kentown Support, expressed her excitement for the program’s launch, stating, “Our second program across Manchester means that more families with children with life-limiting conditions can access the support they need in their community. I am excited to see how this Kentown Support team of therapists, service coordinators, children’s community nurse specialists, and colleagues from across the acute, community, and voluntary sector will work together to achieve great things for children and their families.”
Referrals for the Kentown Children’s Community Palliative Care program can be made through the Kentown Support website.
