About this event
- Date and time Tue 13 Jan 2026 from 9:00am to 9 Jun 2026 at 5:00pm
- Location Royal Society of Medicine
- Organised by Palliative Care
This 6-day in person course spread over 6 sessions, aims to provide 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.
Days 1, 2, and 3 will have a focus on the World Health Organisation analgesic ladder; To gain an in depth understanding of pain physiology and the pharmacology of step I, II and III drugs and co-analgesics, current evidence base, and application in clinical practice. In addition, there will be specialist topics from expert speakers such as management of seizures, bone metastases, as well as updates on immunotherapy and malignant spinal cord compression.
Day 4 aims to provide knowledge on common metabolic and endocrine abnormalities relevant to palliative care and the management of these conditions including hypercalaemia, diabetes management at the end of life.
Day 5 focuses on evidence based guidance and management of nausea and vomiting, constipation, and malignant bowel obstruction.
Day 6 is dedicated to understand evidence based guidance of the pharmacological management of anxiety, depression, and terminal agitation.
Day 4, 5, and 6 will also include specialist topics from expert speakers, such as prescribing in patients with liver failure and renal impairment, and the recognition and management of delirium.
RSM members enjoy free access to over 200 expert-led events each year, including CPD-accredited learning.
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Agenda
Day 1 - View the programme 13 January 2026
Registration, tea and coffee
Welcome and introduction
Clare Smith and Antonia Field-Smith
Session 1
WHO ladder - evidence base and guideines
Panel discussion
Tea and coffee break
Session 2
Pharmacology I
Heather Ebdon
Syringe pumps and Subcut infusions in palliative care
Heather Ebdon
Panel discussion
Lunch
Session 3
Pharmacology II - step I drugs and step II opioids
Clare Smith and Heather Ebdon
Immunotherapy - What you need to know
Joanne Evans
Panel discussion
Tea and coffee break
Session 4
Drugs off license, off label, controlled drugs (CDs) and driving
Heather Ebdon
Palliative care emergencies
Antonia Field-Smith
Close of meeting
Day 2 - View the programme 10 February 2026
Registration, tea and coffee
Welcome and introduction
Session 1
Day 1 round up and NSAID worksheet
Dr Clare Smith
Step III opioids and panel discussion
Dr Clare Smith and Dr Sarah Frearson
Tea and coffee break
Session 2
Methadone
Dr Natasha Wiggins
Opioid conversion
Dr Rachel Craig and Dr Clare Smith
Panel discussion
Dr Rachel Craig and Dr Clare Smith
Lunch
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
Management of seizures in brain tumours
Dr Jeremy Rees and Dr Jon Martin
Panel discussion
Close of meeting
Day 3 - View the programme 10 March 2026
Registration, tea and coffee
Welcome and introduction
Session 1
Pain physiology and tapentadol
Catherine Urch and Louise Abrahams
Tea and coffee break
Treating Neuropathic Pain: Evidence base and guidelines
Sarah Frearson and Lucy Ison
Comfort break
Pharmacology III
Melinda Presland
Lunch
Session 2
Clinical use of ketamine
Naija Shah
Prescribing in patients with renal impairment
Sarah Frearson
Tea and coffee break
Session 3
Malignant spinal cord compression with panel discussion
Mai Bishr
Close of meeting
Day 4 - View the programme 28 April 2026
Registration, tea and coffee
Learning objectives day 4
Chair: Dr Humaira Jamal
Co-chair: Alex Rogers
Session 1
Metabolic and Endocrine workshop: Managing diabetes at the end of life
Professor Karim Meeran and Dr Humaira Jamal
Session 2
SIADH/ Na+ imbalance
Professor Karim Meeran
Tea and coffee break
Session 3
Palliative care emergencies
Dr Antonia Field-Smith
Lunch
Session 4
Steroids
Dr Alexandra Rogers
Session 5
Hypercalcaemia
Dr Clare Smith
Tea and coffee break
Session 6
Prescribing in patients with liver impairment
Dr Polly Edmonds
Close of meeting
Day 5 - View the programme 19 May 2026
Registration, tea and coffee
Learning objectives day 5
Chairs: Angela Hally and Diana Ferro
Session 1
Chairs: Angela Halley and Diana Ferro
Nausea and vomiting – Pharmacology and clinical management
Phil Lodge
Tea and coffee break
Session 2
Bowel obstruction: Evidence base
Angela Halley
Bowel obstruction: Clinical cases
Rita Peralta
Lunch
Session 3
Constipation
Diana Ferro
Comfort break
Feeding tubes at the end of life: Practical aspects, evidence base and ethics
Sophie Miller
Tea and coffee break
Session 4
Anticoagulation
Rita Peralta
Close of meeting
Day 6 - View the programme 09 June 2026
Registration, tea and coffee
Welcome and introduction
Clare Smith and Ben Clarke
Session 1
When and how to stop drugs for patients towards the end of life
Molly Stewart
Drug treatment of depression
Katy Burke
Panel discussion
Tea and coffee break
Session 2
Management of anxiety
Ben Clarke
Cannabinoids
Sarah Cox
Lunch
Session 3
Terminal agitation: Pharmacology of drugs
Melinda Presland
Panel discussion
Tea and coffee break
Session 4
Terminal agitation: Clinical aspects
Lauren Misquita
Panel discussion
Close of meeting
Location
Royal Society of Medicine, 1 Wimpole St, Marylebone, London, W1G 0AE, United Kingdom