The course, funded through the Department for the Economy’s Skills Intervention Programme, aims to deliver online learning resources to people whose lives have been impacted by Covid-19. It is relevant to anyone providing end of life care and support in health, residential and domiciliary care and palliative care settings and suitable for carers on the NISCC (Northern Ireland Social Care Council) register who want to update their CPD.
Health and Social Care lecturer and course co-ordinator Anne-Marie McAleese explained that the course explores the communication around death, dying and bereavement, as well as policy and available support services:
“The feedback has been very positive. This can be a very difficult subject for people to talk about but there does seem to be an appetite for this type of course to help people explore sensitive issues around death and dying.”
Anne-Marie continued that the End of Life Care course is just one of a number accredited qualifications introduced by the College to support the health and social care sector.
“Because of Covid restrictions, the course is delivered completely online and assessment is through a combination of short written answers and professional discussions. We have people from different backgrounds from across Northern Ireland undertaking the course and the online discussions have been a great way to open up the debate and share experiences. Some of the participants have a wealth of professional experience, while others have a more personal experience of caring for a member of their own family and we all learn from each other,” she said.
Marie Donaghy, Business Development Officer at the College’s Coleraine campus, explained the College had secured Department for Economy funding to help close identified skills gaps.
“This has allowed us to react quickly to match local skills needs, enabling us to deliver online provision to develop skilled workers to meet demand. We have been able to provide a range of short-term courses, to support workers directly affected by the economic impact of Covid-19 to embark on a new career. The demand for places has been high and we are hopeful that further delivery may be put in place later this year, subject to a new funding allocation.
“The End of Life Care course has been developed to support families, communities and professionals affected by the pandemic, offering reskilling opportunities and some hope at this very difficult time.
“Our Health & Social Care team recognise the importance of opening up the conversation around death, dying and bereavement and we hope to raise awareness of this course as part of Dying Matters Awareness Week, which runs from 10 - 16 May 2021,” she said.