Palliative Care

Jonathan Koffman
Palliative Care MSc/PG Dip/PG Cert
Palliative care improves the quality of life of patients and families who face life threatening illness. It provides pain and symptom relief, and spiritual and psychosocial support from diagnosis to the end of life and during bereavement.
The multiprofessional MSc in Palliative Care is an exciting, innovative and unique course for students who want to acquire a critical understanding of research and evidence-based palliative care and service development. Two new qualifications, a Postgraduate Diploma and Certificate, extend the scope of high quality learning and allow students to enter a programme at a point relevant to their work experience. All three courses are run in collaboration with St. Christopher's Hospice, London, and draw on the research, teaching expertise and international reputations of health and social care professionals from both institutions as well as nationally.
Since the course's inception students have reported added-value in learning alongside other professions, particularly with regard to lateral thinking, questioning preconceived ideas, and improved communication opportunities. Nearly a third of students who have completed the MSc are from outside the UK and include the USA, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Taiwan, Japan, Iceland and India. We are convinced that the different working experiences and cultures these students bring with them enhance the educational experience of all the courses offered.