Free of charge to Herefordshire and Worcestershire based Healthcare Staff

What is Project ECHO?

  • Project ECHO was developed in the United States to improve the care of patients in under-served areas.
  • Enables the delivery of FREE education and training to large numbers of healthcare providers using cloud based technology and existing resources.
  • St Richard’s, St Michael’s and KEMP Hospices are working together as a specialist ECHO hub centre and will provide training and education sessions via video link to health professionals across Herefordshire & Worcestershire.
  • Project ECHO creates a community of practice that supports service delivery, the sharing of knowledge and support from others working in Health & Social Care to continuously improve to care.

The end of life care (EOLC) strategy aims to improve the choices individuals and their families have at the end of life. In order to achieve this staff must be able to have sensitive conversations with individuals to determine their preferences & wishes to enable them to plan, identify and prioritise care during the final stages of life.
Many Health and Social Care workers frequently experience challenges in accessing structured educational programmes, however Project ECHO can reach out to larger numbers of healthcare professionals, whilst building a virtual community offering ongoing support and advice.

  • Staff attend 90 minute training sessions delivered from the hub centre via video link.
  • Sessions are accessible via laptop, PC, mobile phone via a ZOOM app
  • The project team will provide educational resources & promote discussion focusing on areas where individual care settings feel they need additional training and support.
  • The project team will facilitate shared learning and reflection, linked to practice examples and case studies.
  • ECHO works by acknowledging that we are all learners & teachers, & that working together in this manner improves care outcomes.

Available Project ECHO Programmes for 2023

See flyers for all current projects available to download at the bottom of this page

This is a new and exciting opportunity to come together to explore current evidence & best practice in Palliative & End of Life care. It provides a safe environment to reflect on & discuss challenges and successes.
All levels of health & social care staff working in any environment are welcome to join the monthly hub.

Sessions are held on the last Thursday of every month

14.00 – 15.30


• Delivery will be via Zoom – links will be made available to those registered for the Hub
• There will be a guest speaker at each session
• You can attend as many sessions as you wish


For Registered Nurses the hours can be included as interactive CPD hours for
NMC re-validation purposes

Open to Herefordshire RNs and Senior Carers

If you are a registered nurse, attendance at 4 of these training sessions will provide you with 6 hours of interactive CPD for NMC revalidation purposes.

Working in Collaboration with Karen Rees – SMH Care Homes Sister, this is a 4-week programme aimed at RN’s or Senior Carers in a position to influence practice changes within their care setting.

The programme aims to identify Palliative Champions from a variety of care settings across Herefordshire.

There is an expectation that each Palliative Champion will:

  • Attend ALL four 1 ½ hour sessions,
  • Identify & make a pledge to change one area of practice in their care setting
  • Complete a reflective piece linked to their learning and the change pledged
  • Support the collection of data linked to the change made / hospital avoidance.

Following successful completion of the programme you will receive a certificate and a pin badge identifying you as a Palliative Champion.

You will also receive an invitation to join a ‘Palliative Champions Community of Practice’ – the aim is that this will be a virtual community, with regular ‘virtual’ training sessions and updates to support you in the continuation. The Community of Practice will be established after the second course has been completed, when we will have determined the best time / day for all involved.

As a Palliative Champion you may be eligible for a reduced rate for attendance at other courses held by St Michaels Hospice.

Course Content
Week 1 – Palliative Care – Philosophies & Principles
Week 2 – Palliative Care – Planning Ahead
Week 3 – Palliative Care – Symptom Control
Week 4 – Palliative Care – Identifying the Dying and Offering Support

Sessions to be held 14.30 – 16.00 on the following dates:

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Downloads

Open to ALL STAFF working in Health and Social Care

If you are a registered nurse, attendance at 6 of these training sessions will provide you with 6 hours of interactive CPD for NMC revalidation purposes.

Course Content
Week 1 – Definitions / Principles / Recognising Dying
Week 2 – Principles of Symptom Control
Week 3 – Pain
Week 4 – Comfort at End of Life, Mouthcare, Nutrition
Week 5 – End of Life Medication
Week 6 – Resilience

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See Hospice UK website for current ECHO networks you can join. You will need to create an account on the hospice UK site to be able to join

https://www.hospiceuk.org/professionals/clinical-care-support/project-echo/join-echo-network

Example networks:

  • Clinical ECHO
  • Covid-19 Business Continuity ECHO
  • Outcome Measures in Practice ECHO
  • Infection Prevention and Control ECHO
  • Palliative / End of life care and Dementia ECHO
  • Innovation ECHO
  • Resilience Based Clinical Supervision ECHO
  • Bereavement Collaboration ECHO