Learning Labs

Led by Maria Heaton (South East Sydney Local Health District) and Meredith Laina (Calvary Health Care Kogarah)

Learning Objectives

1. Identify the key inequities and barriers that people with intellectual disability experience when accessing palliative and end-of-life care.
2. Recognise the impact of communication challenges, diagnostic overshadowing, and health disparities on assessment, care planning, and symptom management.
3. Apply person-centred and supported decision-making approaches to enhance participation, autonomy, and inclusion in palliative care discussions and planning.
4. Implement practical strategies to improve equity, collaboration, and accessibility across health, disability, and community services for people with intellectual disability receiving palliative care.

People with intellectual disability experience significant inequities in access to palliative care and end-of-life support. These inequities can arise from diagnostic overshadowing, communication barriers, limited access to specialist services, assumptions about quality of life, and inadequate involvement in decision-making. As a result, individuals may experience delayed recognition of deterioration, unmet symptom management needs, and poorer end-of-life outcomes.

This workshop explores the unique palliative care needs of people with intellectual disability and examines practical strategies to promote equitable, person-centred care across health, disability, and community services. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of systemic barriers, supported decision-making principles, inclusive communication approaches, and the importance of collaborative care planning. Through case studies and discussion, the workshop highlights opportunities to improve access, quality, and outcomes for people with intellectual disability and their families throughout their palliative care journey.

Led by Natalie Hudson and Dr Maggie Mei Ki Winters (Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network, The Children’s Hospital at Westmead)

Content:

• Definition of paediatric palliative care
• Quality of life care along the patient’s journey: home, hospice, hospital
• Decision-making in advance care planning

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the distinguishing features of paediatric palliative care
• Outline the role of the multidisciplinary team approach in a child’s palliative care journey
• Discuss the clinical and ethical considerations in advance care planning in children and young people

Led by Dr Katie Maclean (Campbelltown Hospital)

Breaking bad news and discussing goals of care are core clinical responsibilities, yet many clinicians receive limited formal training in end‑of‑life communication. In 2021, Campbelltown Hospital, introduced a 2-hour End of life communication workshop which allowed a safe place to begin to explore how and when to have EOL conversations, allowed opportunities to practice these conversations and afforded time to explore possible barriers. These workshops have been extremely well received and have now been rolled out across SWS. In this learning lab we will review the program we have introduced, explore the logistics and discuss future goals and ideas (there will be many interactive opportunities).

Led by Dr Carolyn Bourke (Palliative Aged Care Network), Jon San Martin (University of Technology Sydney) and Lara McIntyre (Catholic Healthcare)

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this 1-hour session, participants will be able to:

• Recognise the older person with dementia’s functional level using FAST staging tool
• Apply FAST level to prompt/support application of the EoLC ATD assessment
• Using the guidance document apply the EoLC ATD to identify the persons holistic end of life needs
• Recognize and support personhood through person centred care planning and communication
• Confidently engage older people with dementia, their families/carers and decision makers in care discussions.