About this event

  • Date and time Tue 10 Jan 2023 from 9:00am to 4 Jul 2023 at 5:00pm
  • Location Royal Society of Medicine
  • Organised by Palliative Care

This 6 day in-person course is spread over 6 episodes with the aim of providing a robust grounding in all aspects of pharmacology and therapeutics in palliative medicine. The course material is evidence based where possible so that participants become acquainted with the body of literature that relates to practice in this field. Each of the sessions will consist of incredibly valuable content. 

Days 1, 2 and 3 of the course are framed around the World Health Organisation analgesic ladder, pharmacology of step I, II and III drugs and co-analgesics, current evidence base, and application in clinical practice. The programme is supplemented by talks on specialist topics from experts. These specialist topics vary from year to year and have previously included: management of seizures, bone metastases, and malignant spinal cord compression. 

Days 4, 5 and 6 are broadly themed. The three topic areas are: metabolic and endocrine abnormalities, gastro-intestinal day including management of nausea and vomiting and bowel obstruction, drug management of anxiety, depression and terminal agitation. Included over the 3 days are specialist topics from expert speakers such as prescribing in patients with liver failure, renal impairment, recognition and management of delirium.

Pharmacology is a key theme woven into the programme, this ensures that participants have a thorough understanding of how drugs work and how they are handled by the body.

The course is highly interactive using a variety of teaching methods. The core group of tutors (Independent Teaching Group for Palliative Medicine, ITGPM) is supplemented by guest speakers.

*Please note this course is tailored towards palliative medicine doctors, GPs and pharmacists. Therefore, when registering please submit a piece of identification that highlights your work in one of the above areas to palliative@rsm.ac.uk. Thank you.

Due to the success of last year's event, we recommend booking your place quickly to avoid missing out.

Agenda

View the programme - Day 1 (10.01.2023)

Registration, tea and coffee
Welcome and introduction

Dr Clare Smith, Palliative Care Section, Royal Society of Medicine and Dr Antonia Field-Smith, Consultant in Palliative Medicine, West Middlesex University Hospital

Session 1

WHO ladder

Dr Sara Robbins, Palliative Medicine Consultant, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and President-Elect, Palliative Care Section, Royal Society of Medicine

Panel discussion

Dr Clare Smith and Dr Sara Robbins 

Tea and coffee break

Session 2

Pharmacology I

Dr Melinda Presland, Consultant Pharmacist, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Pharmacology II

Dr Melinda Presland, Consultant Pharmacist, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Panel discussion

Dr Sara Robbins and Dr Melinda Presland 

Lunch break

Session 3

NSAID Clinical application/consideration

Dr Clare Smith, Dr Melinda Presland and Dr Antonia Field-Smith

Drugs off licence, off label and CDs

Dr Melinda Presland 

Panel discussion

Dr Clare Smith and Dr Melinda Presland

Tea and coffee break

Session 4

Palliative care emergencies

Dr Antonia Field-Smith

Closing remarks
Close of meeting
View the programme - Day 2 (07.02.2023)

Registration, tea and coffee
Welcome and introduction

Dr Clare Smith, Palliative Care Section, Royal Society of Medicine and Dr Sarah Frearson, Consultant in Palliative Medicine, Clinical lead for Palliative Medicine, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust 

Session 1

Step III opioids

Dr Clare Smith and Dr Sarah Frearson

Panel discussion

Dr Clare Smith and Dr Sarah Frearson

Tea and coffee break

Session 2

Methadone

Dr Clare Smith

Opioid conversions

Ms Roni Patel, Senior Specialist Pharmacist, Palliative Care and Cancer Services, Marie Curie Hospice, Hampstead and Ms Rachel Craig, Consultant in Palliative Care, Royal Free Hospital 

Panel discussion

Dr Clare Smith, Ms Roni Patel and Ms Rachel Craig 

Lunch break

Session 3

Summary session on opioids

Dr Clare Smith

Panel discussion

Dr Clare Smith

Tea and coffee break

Session 4

Update on management of bone metastasis

Dr Lucy Ison, Palliative Medicine Registrar

Complex cases – pain management

Dr Clare Smith and Dr Sarah Frearson

Panel discucssion
Closing remarks
Close of meeting
View the programme - Day 3 (04.07.2023)

Registration, tea and coffee
Welcome and introduction

Dr Clare Smith, Palliative Care Section, Royal Society of Medicine and Dr Ruth Miles, Consultant in Palliative Medicine, Greenwich and Bexley Community Hospice

Session 1

Pain physiology and tapentadol

Professor Catherine Urch, Divisional Director for Surgery, Cardiovascular and Cancer and Trust Cancer Lead, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and Judy Naidoo

Tea and coffee break

Session 2

Pharmacology III
Melinda Presland, Consultant Pharmacist, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Prescribing in patients with renal impairment

Dr Heena Khiroya, Palliative Medicine Consultant

NP case studies

Dr Angela Halley, Consultant in Palliative Medicine, The Royal Marsden 

Lunch

Session 3

Clinical use of ketamine

Dr Clare Smith

Treating neuropathic pain: The evidence base and panel discussion

Dr Ruth Miles

Tea and coffee break

Malignant spinal cord compression with panel discussion

Dr Vinod Mullassery, Consultant Clinical Oncologist, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust

Close of meeting
View the programme - Day 4 (25.04.2023)

Registration, tea and coffee
Welcome and introduction

Dr Clare Smith, Palliative Care Section, Royal Society of Medicine and Dr Alexandra Rogers, Consultant in Palliative Medicine, West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

Metabolic and endocrine workshop

SIADH/ Na+ imbalance    

Managing diabetes at the end of life

Professor Karim Meeran, Professor of Endocrinology, Deputy Director of Medical Education and Lead Clinician for Endocrinology, Imperial College London and Dr Humaira Jamal, Consultant in Supportive and Palliative Care Medicine, Peace Hospice and Central London Community Healthcare Trust

Steroids and pharmacology IV

Chandni Halai, Palliative Care Pharmacist

Panel discussion
Tea and coffee break

Cannabinoids

Sarah Cox

Panel discussion
Lunch

Steroids and clinical use

Dr Alex Rogers

Hypercalcaemia

Dr Clare Smith

Panel discussion
Tea and coffe break

Prescribing in patient with liver impairment

Dr Polly Edmonds, Consultant in Palliative Medicine, King’s College Hospital

Panel discussion
Close of meeting

Location

Royal Society of Medicine, 1 Wimpole St, Marylebone, London, W1G 0AE, United Kingdom

Domus reception

While you’re attending this event

Stay in the comfort of our hotel, Domus Medica, or hire one of our private dining rooms to socialise with your peers.

RSM members enjoy access to our enviable club facilities. For more information, please contact our team at domus@rsm.ac.uk or restaurant@rsm.ac.uk.

Find out more