HEALTH PROFESSIONALS COURSE (HPC)

This is a 6 day course for doctors, nurses and related clinical professionals. It aims at introducing a wide range of palliative care topics.
The Aim of the course is to:
· Train health professionals who are working in all areas to develop their communication skills and be able to empathise with the dying and bereaved, and be able to use modern methods of pain and symptom control for terminally ill AIDS and Cancer patients. They should also be able to use the holistic approach in care and understand the cultural context and when appropriate, integrate the use of traditional methods of care .

ALLIED PROFESSIONALS COURSE

This is a 5 day course for those professionals who work alongside health professionals, such as counsellors, social workers, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, teachers etc.

This course is similar to that of the HPC but gives more of a focus on psycho-social issues and less on clinical pharmacology.
The Aim of the Course is:
To encourage allied professionals to develop a holistic approach to caring and communicating with individuals with life limiting diseases such as cancer and AIDS. They will also gain insight into the basics of pain management and how to care for a patient in their own homes.

COMMUNITY CARERS COURSE

This is a 3 day course devised especially for community workers and people directly caring or associated with caring for sick people in the home environment.
The Aim of the Course is to:
Foster the ‘Hospice Concept and Spirit’ in participants so that in caring for those facing death they are able to address basic issues concerning HIV/AIDS and cancer, and give appropriate physical and supportive care to the sick at home and make appropriate referral to a professional when necessary.

SPIRITUAL ADVISORS COURSE

This is a 2 day course for spiritual support workers: The aim of the Course is to:
Encourage the spiritual worker to gain more confidence in addressing issues of spirituality in an open and accepting manner to terminally ill patients.
For participants to become more aware of the needs, especially spiritual needs that people and their families may experience when facing the end of life.

TRAINING OF TRAINERS (TOT)

This is a 5 day course for health professionals who have already completed the HPC or Allied course.
The Aim of this Course is:
For participants to improve their teaching skills, especially developing appropriate teaching materials with the ability to deliver material in an appropriate style in their own work environments. This is especially important in light of the increasing demand for palliative care education as it expands throughout Uganda and the rest of Africa as part of the essential health services.

INTRODUCTION TO COUNSELLING IN PALLIATIVE CARE

This 5 day course is mainly for health professionals and related professions.
The aim of this course is to give basic practical skills in counselling and communicating to patients facing a life limiting diagnosis and their families.