Day 3: Wednesday 18 November

This session includes four presentations of abstracts submitted via our Call for Papers, to be announced. 

These abstracts are published in an online conference supplement produced by BMJ Supportive and Palliative Care, an official journal of Hospice UK.   

👥: All delegates

We are living in polarised, divisive times - and yet, for hospices, it is more important than ever to be engaging proactively with local political stakeholders. This discussion will look at what we can learn from different parts of the country, and how hospices apolitical, universal appeal can help us. 

Speakers to be announced.

👥: CEOs, Income Generation, Comms

Hospice retail is facing a period of significant change. Rising operating costs, evolving consumer behaviours and increasing competition for donated goods mean that retail leaders are having to think differently about the future.

This session will explore how hospices can position retail as a strategic asset rather than simply a trading function. Drawing on emerging retail trends and practical examples from across the sector, speakers will examine how hospices can optimise their shop portfolios, make informed decisions about growth and investment, and adapt to a rapidly changing marketplace. 

The session will explore the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of hospice retail and the role it can play in building more a more sustainable future. 

Speakers to be announced.

👥: Income Generation, CEOs, Trustees

This session will showcase Hospice UK’s hospice data survey results and give an update on the data comparison tools that are being developed to evidence hospice reach. It will explore why this is important evidence for hospices and communities and examine how this is being implemented in hospices and what it is showing. 

Speakers: 

• Dr Maddy French, Senior Research Fellow in Palliative Care (Sue Ryder), Lancaster University. 
• Christine Dobbs, Data Manager, Keech Hospice

👥: Data, Community Engagement, Clinical, CEOs

Getting people through the door is not enough. Among patients already known to specialist palliative care services, higher deprivation is still associated with a greater likelihood of dying in hospital. This session shows what working differently looks like in practice. 

The Saint Elizabeth Foundation presents the Journey Home Hospice model, not as a Canadian import but as a set of principles: what would unconditional, trauma-informed care look like in a UK hospice? Hospice grantees will share honest accounts of welfare advice integration, community outreach and poverty proofing, including what didn't work. 

The session includes the launch of Hospice UK's sector-wide poverty proofing audit, adapted from the Newcastle University poverty proofing model, with a short contribution from the team who presented the hospice adaptation at the 2025 conference. A structured conversation then captures what hospices most need from the programme over the next twelve months.  

Speakers to be announced.

👥: All delegates

This interactive session will explore the role of palliative oxygen in advanced disease, examining the current evidence, the limitations of treatment, and the different factors that influence prescribing decisions. 

Through panel discussion and audience participation, delegates will consider how decisions are made in practice and reflect on the clinical, emotional and organisational influences, as well as consider the governance and safety considerations associated with oxygen use. 

Speakers: 

• Anja Hudson, Clinical Specialist (Physiotherapist), St Christopher's Hospice 
• Jane Crussell, Education Facilitator, Saint Francis Hospice 

👥: Clinical

A chance to meet other delegates and take part in a range of activities. No experience needed - just drop in and get creative.  

Further details to be announced. 

👥: All delegates

This session includes four presentations of abstracts submitted via our Call for Papers, to be announced. 

These abstracts are published in an online conference supplement produced by BMJ Supportive and Palliative Care, an official journal of Hospice UK.   

 👥: All delegates

Session delivered in collaboration with Together for Short Lives  

In June 2026, the updated Categories of Children's Palliative Care were published - a landmark moment for a sector that has worked from the same framework for over two decades. But categories are only as powerful as the practice they shape. 

This session asks: what do the new categories mean for the children and families they describe, and how do they translate into real decisions about who receives care, what that care looks like, and how it is commissioned? 

Drawing on the evidence base behind the categories, case studies of how eligibility works in practice across different services and systems, and the lived experience of a parent navigating a framework built to describe their child's needs, this session brings the updated categories to life. It asks what consistent, equitable implementation looks like - and what gets in the way. This session will be live-streamed.

Speakers: 

• Dr Christine Mott APPM, Consultant in Paediatric Palliative Medicine, Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Trust; Medical Director, Acorns Children’s Hospices 
• Katie Tallowin, Associate Director of Services and Impact, Together for Short Lives 
• Further speakers to be announced

👥: All delegates

Both mental illness and dying remain highly stigmatised in society and people with severe and persistent mental illness are at higher risk of poor physical health outcomes due to disparities in healthcare access and provision. 

How can hospices work with psychiatric and mental health services to deliver high quality, compassionate care to people with complex mental health conditions? In this session, we will be joined by Dr Sarah Yardley, who will share the findings of her Churchill Fellowship focused on ‘Reimagining Palliative Care for People with Severe Mental Illness’, incorporating insights from Australia, Canada, Finland and the USA.  

We will also discuss practical ways in which hospice teams can support people with serious mental illness, their friends and families. 

Speaker: 

• Dr Sarah Yardley – Churchill Fellow, Honorary Consultant in Palliative Medicine at University College Hospitals and Central & North West London NHS Foundation Trust, Associate Professor in Palliative Medicine, Marie Curie Palliative Care Research Department, University College London 

👥: CEOs, Clinical, Community Engagement, Research 

Fundraising and communications doesn’t sit in one team – it’s a culture across your hospice. But how do you build the relationships, trust and shared understanding needed to uncover the real stories that inspire support? 

In this session, hear from three perspectives on what it truly takes to embed fundraising and communications into organisational culture. 

We will explore how to break down silos and build meaningful connections between departments, from service delivery teams to fundraising and communications, creating a sustainable pipeline of ethical, authentic and compelling stories. 

This session will offer insight into: 

• Building trust with frontline staff to share sensitive, high-impact stories. 
• Creating shared ownership of fundraising and communications across teams. 
• Navigating ethical considerations with confidence and care. 
• Turning day-to-day care experiences into powerful narratives that drive income and engagement. 

Ultimately unlocking more powerful supporter connections and sustainable income. 

Speakers:  

• Laura MacLeman, Head of Communications and Campaigns, Centrepoint  
• Josh Leigh, Co-founder and Director, Hynt 
• Further speakers to be announced

👥: Income Generation, CEOs, Trustees 

Kindly sponsored by Gold sponsors, Brooks MacDonald 

Further details to be announced.

👥: Income Generation, CEOs, Trustees