On completion of the course you will have had the opportunity to learn and be assessed on:

• What palliative care is and who is it for?
• Symptom management in palliative care
• Patients with emergency conditions
• Care in the last 48 hours of life
• Breaking bad news to patients and families
• Bereavement and support
• Common ethical issues

Assessment is in three formats:

Portfolio – Based on a patient the candidate has cared for with palliative care needs.  The 2,500 word reflective portfolio should include the effect it has on both a personal and professional level. It should be supported by literature and demonstrate how the learning will influence future care.

Written examination: There will be a 45 minute online examination on content from the Course Handbook. It will also include five common opioid drug calculations.

Oral assessment (Viva): This is a short verbal assessment completed remotely either via Zoom or Microsoft Teams, exploring the knowledge and skills developed throughout the course.

Candidates will receive:

• An extensive Course Handbook
• Access to a comprehensive virtual learning hub/website with library resources
• A facilitator through their ‘local’ site, who will support them through the written assessment element of the course.

We run two courses a year – one in the Spring and another in the Autumn.

Autumn 2026 – This course is fully booked. 

7 September 2026 – Course launch event – GMT 1800hrs

11 November 2026 – Remote assessment day – GMT 0930- (approximately) 1400hrs

Spring 2027 – registration open (closes 8 March 2027 latest)

12 April 2027 – Course launch event – GMT 1800hrs

16 June 2027 – Remote assessment day – GMT 0930hrs to 1400hrs (latest)

Autumn 2027 – registration open (closes 30July 2027 latest)

6 September 2027 – Course launch event – GMT 1800hrs

10 November 2027 – Remote assessment day – GMT 0930- (approximately) 1400hrs

FEE

Candidates are required to have funding in place before applying. The course is currently £600 and can be paid by card online or by invoice (for trusts and larger organisations).

Staff working in hospices in the UK can apply to the Wolfson Foundation (via Hospice UK) to cover part of the cost of this programme. See Hospice UK for more details.

HOW TO APPLY

As the course is run totally remotely, without any physical attendance required, you can choose to register with any site that has availability, ie. as the course fills up you may be living and working in Kent but the site you register and have support from may be in Ireland.

All applications are made online. Online form here

Sites running the course are;

• Princess Alice Hospice, Esher
• Birmingham Hospice, Birmingham
• Heart of Kent Hospice, Kent
• LOROS Hospice, Leicestershire
• Northern Ireland Hospice, Belfast
• Severn Hospice, Shrewsbury (Autumn courses only)
• Roxburghe House, Aberdeen
• The Hospice of St Francis, Berkhamsted
• Milford Care Centre, ROI
• Malta Hospice Movement (Autumn courses only)
• North London Hospice, London N12
• St Clare Hospice, Essex
• Jersey Hospice Care, Channel Isles
• St Wilfrid’s Hospice, Eastbourne

Learning will be self-directed using the course handbook and candidates own research methods.

However, candidates will be invited to course information sessions and introductory lecture on palliative / end of life care, held via Zoom at the start of the course.

Additional candidate support sessions include:

• Finding and using evidence – research methods for the portfolio.
• Preparing for examination and viva assessment.

This is a remote, home study, 9-week course, which takes approximately 50 hours in total, averaging between 3-6 hours per week.

Any study leave should be directly negotiated with your employer.

Key dates to consider can be advised by your local site upon successful application, these will consist of;

• Course launch – Zoom/Teams
• Candidate support sessions – Zoom/Teams
• Portfolio assignment submission in week 6 – via Learningzone
• Assessment day (written exam and viva) in week 9 – Zoom/Teams

The assessment day is mandatory and you will need to ensure your availability for this.

Lots of our courses would complement ECEPC. It’s worth having a look at the latest schedule to see if there is something that fits your job role and interest.

We also like to recommend Advanced Communication Skills Training – available via Zoom.

We’re pleased to announce that we will soon be launching an ECEPC Alumni. This will be an opportunity for everyone connected with the course to network. Find out more here.