For Forthcoming News/Events see FUTURE EVENTS

13 December  2017 Celia Kitzinger taught at Advocacy Centre North Newcastle (on end of life decisions for people who lack capacity to make serious medical treatment decisions for themselves)

27 November 2017, the Ernest Goulding Lecture, Dublin: We gave the Ernest Goulding Lecture, National Rehabilitation Hospital, Dublin.  Celia Kitzinger talked on: ‘Sanctity of Life and Self-Determination: Serious Medical Treatment and Patients in Prolonged Disorders of Consciousness’.

 


7 November 2017 The ‘WeEOLC’ chat

We were the guests for the regular @WeEOLC ‘twitter chat’ session. In this session we explored the theme of: ‘Death following feeding tube withdrawal: supporting patients, families and staff’. This was hosted by @WeEOLC: “Connecting tweeting healthcare professionals via twitter & tweetchats . Part of the WeCommunities. @learnhospice @heblau @BridgetJohnst”


26 October 2017: Professor Celia Kitzinger delivered a seminar on “End of Life Issues in Disorders of Consciousness” in which she discussed the implications of the judgment in M v A Hospital in Newcastle upon Tyne on Thursday, October 26 at 6pm. The event was free to attend, and was held at law firm Sintons, the Cube, Barrack Road, NE4 6DB.


24 October 2017, Parliamentary Select Committee Investigation into NHS continuing healthcare funding 

Submitted evidence to the Parliamentary Select Committee Investigation into NHS continuing healthcare funding [www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/public-accounts-committee/inquiries/parliament-2017/investigation-nhs-healthcare-funding-17-19/]


19 October 2017, Continuing Professional Development Workshop A full day CPD workshop on Advance Decisions to Refuse Treatment, British Psychological Society, Division of Clinical Psychology Wales, Newport, Wales (Co-taught by Sue Wilkinson and Celia Kitzinger)


18 October 2017, BMA consultation.

Professor Celia Kitzinger helped co-ordinate and run this consultation day to inform development of new BMA guidelines


16-18 October 2017: court case

We spent three days at Preston crown court. With the judge’s permission we live-tweeted this case across all three days – using the hashtag #COPoct17

  

You can review the tweets by looking at @cdocuk for those dates (or at a storify we are planning).

The tweets present short summaries of statements made by witnesses (such a healthcare staff and family members). The tweets also present some of questions put by the barristers, and comments by the judge. The aim is to give an impression of what the evidence was, how it was tested in court, and give insight into the court processes in Best Interests decision making

  


13 October 2017 Holycross Hospital – launch of new training centre

We spoke at this launch event for a new training centre – addressing families experiences of DOC/ Severe brain injuries alongside a wide range of health care professionals examining issues raining from ‘breaking bad news’ to supporting the children of a severely brained injured parent.


12 October 2017 – Celia Kitzinger’s article in Neuro-rehab Times was published

– exploring the implications of recent rulings that address whether or not cases need to go to court

Link here: Life and Death Decisions


10 October 2017, Forum on End of Life in Ireland

Jenny Kitzinger gave the opening keynote at the 5th biennial conference organised by the Forum on End of Life in Ireland – an initiative of the Irish Hospice Foundation.

The theme of the Conference was “Have Your Say”. Alongside this media coverage included profiles of Professor Kitzinger in  articles in the Irish Times and Irish Express, contributions to Irish radio news – and a discussion on the Pat McKenney Show.


Media contributions  21 September 2017. 

We contributed to a series of media discussions – drawing on our research about the effects of a perceived need to go to court for decisions about withdrawing ANH from PVS/MCS patients even after families and clinical teams agreed it was not in the patient’s best interests.

Contributions included to Radio 4’s ‘The Today Programme’  the BBC lunchtime news as well as a series of other outlets (e.g. BBC Radio Wales and the LBC radio) and talking to print journalists e.g. the New Scientist.


19-20 September 2017, “Bioethicists as Advocates and Activists: Professional Boundaries and Commitments”: 18th annual international symposium of the Policy, Ethics and Life Sciences (PEALS) Research Centre, Newcastle University, UK 19-20 September 2017. We presented exploring the relationship between our academic work and contributing to social and policy change


International End of Life Conference: Law, Ethics, Policy and Practice, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada 13-15 September 2017

13 September 2017: Pre-conference Workshop We contributed to a workshop on law reform in the end-of-life area drawing on case studies of success (or failure) in changing the law in different jurisdictions. By examining the law reform experience internationally in this area, we hope to understand better how and why the law governing end-of-life decision-making can be changed. We addressed the (disputed) legal requirement in England and Wales that cases involving withdrawal of life-prolonging treatment from patients in prolonged disorders of consciousness must receive judicial scrutiny from the Court of Protection.
We also be presented two talks during the conference – one on advance decisions and the other on legal issues relating to disorders of consciousness.
Further information here: http://icel2halifax.ca


Neuroscience, Consciousness and ethics, August 2017

Jenny Kitzinger & Adrian Owen talked to science journalist, Ian Sample, for the Guardian’s podcast about Dr Owen’s new book ‘Into the Gray Zone’ Listen at: https://www.theguardian.com/science/audio/2017/sep/06/the-grey-zone-reaching-out-to-patients-with-disorders-of-consciousness-science-weekly-podcast

Can new technologies help refine diagnosis and prognosis? What are the implications of detecting consciousness? How can science enter into dialogue with social and ethical contexts?


A Right to Die?  Socio-legal Perspectives, Keele 18 July 2017

18 July 2017 Celia Kitzinger presented on: “Court applications for withdrawal of artificial nutrition and hydration from patients in a permanent vegetative state: Family experiences’.  This is part of a panel entitled “Assisted Dying and Euthanasia” – although of course withdrawal of treatment in the patient’s best interests is neither ‘assisted dying’ nor ‘euthanasia’ (as the talk will make clear).  Other speakers in the panel include: Dr Sue Westwood on “Older lesbians, gay men and the “right to die” debate’”; and Professor Sue Read & Dr Sotirios Santatzoglou, Keele University on ‘Exploring hospice care from the perspectives of people living with multiple sclerosis: An exploratory case study”.


Summer School on Doing and Communicating Qualitative Research, London  17-20 July 2017

17-20 July 2017 Celia Kitzinger gave a Keynote Address on Monday 16th July.  “Making a difference with qualitative research” The talk focused on our work to support families of patients in vegetative and minimally conscious states and to change policy and procedures concerning court applications to withdraw feeding tubes from these patients.  It addressed the ways in which we worked collaboratively with families, clinicians, lawyers, allied health professionals and advocates; and the challenges of working with artists to ‘translate’ our research findings into paintings, music and ‘soundscape’, poetry, and a shadow puppet show. It included discussion of our work with the legal profession (including our experience as the first academics ever to live-tweet from the Court of Protection) and the variety of ways in which we have engaged and addressed audiences of different stakeholders. The talk described my own experience of doing research designed from the outset to make a difference, and will consider the difference that the research has made. The – sometimes troublesome – intersection of campaigning zeal with the neo-liberal university climate was addressed, alongside the current notions of ‘impact’ and ‘impact capture’.


British Psychological Society, Faculty of Psychology of Older People National Conference 2017, Durham,  12- 13 July 2017

12-13 July 2017 Workshop:  “Death is an awfully big adventure”:  Cath Burley, Celia Kitzinger & Sarah Ronaghan.


British Psychological Society Qualitative Methods in Psychology Annual Conference, Aberystwyth 5-7 July 2017

6 July 2017 Celia Kitzinger gave a Keynote address focusing on the qualitative methodologies used and the impact of the work of the Coma and Disorders of Consciousness Research Centre.


Critical Physiotherapy Network Cardiff Colloquium

5 July 2017 Julie Latchem presented ‘Identifying bodies: challenges in maintaining anonymity in ethnographic research’ at the Critical Physiotherapy Network Cardiff Colloquium


e-learning, medicine and ethics: ‘To tech, or not to tech, is that the question?

4 July 2017 CDoC members Dr Geraldine Hastings and Julie Latchem presented on: ‘Students as co-producers for inter-professional education (IPE) multimedia learning resources at Cardiff University’s Centre for Innovation Learning & Teaching Conference


Death & Dying: Exploring Christian perspectives conferences

1 July 2017  We spoke at a series of conference events on death and dying  See here for further information about the initiative as a whole and updates


UK Central Ethics Network

June 2017. Wegave a plenary talk on the minimally conscious state at the 17th UKCEN Annual Conference,  at the Royal Liverpool Institution . The theme of this year’s conference is ‘Family Matters’


Coma and Consciousness Touring Arts

Exhibition 2017  Our exhibition on  ‘Coma and Consciousness’ has toured sites across the UK (e.g. to art galleries, conferences, care homes, medical schools, community centres and churches). In 2017 the tour includes Quaker Meeting house in  London, and venues in Frome, York, and Oxford. Look out for further details of the  venues – or send an enquiry if you would be interested in hosting any part of the exhibition.


The 12th Barts Health Bereavement Conference 

12 June 2017 Celia Kitzinger talked about “Family Experience of Bereavement when a Relative is in a Prolonged Disorder of Consciousness” The 12th Barts Health Bereavement Conference


MCA and Disability Research Symposium – University of York

26 May 2017 –  Julie Latchem spoke at this symposium, presenting her paper on ‘Troubling researcher-led recruitment: the self-selection of brain injured adults who lack capacity to consent’


Law and Ethics Training day for Fairlie Healthcare neuro-rehab care centres

30 March 2017 – We are ran a training day for all staff on best interests decision-making and continuing/discontinuing life-prolonging treatment for patients in VS/MCS. The training addressed the Mental Capacity Act and the ‘best interests’ balance sheet, examined new case law, explored issues of ethics, communication and the practicalities of making court applications.


Scottish Parliament Cross Party Group on End of Life

28 March  2017 Celia Kitzinger spoke to the Scottish Parliament Cross Party Group on End of Life issues


Moral Status & the Golden Boy‘Moral Status and the Golden Boy’, Play, Radio 4  (14th March 2017)

14 March 2017 Radio 4 broadcast a play exploring some philosophical ideas about the permanent vegetative state – informed by our work and briefings to the writer – but not how we would have done it!  http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08hnlxw


C3RI8RtWcAY30Rd.jpg-largeConferences with London Quakers  (28th Jaunary 2017)  and with Frome Methodist Church (11th February)

28 January 1017 We worked with partners to host two conference on end of life decision-making, the role of churches and ecumenical perspectives on ethics and theology. Panels addressed a wide range of issues, including diverse perspectives on treatment withdrawal and exploring advance decisions. We are currently working on similar events in  Oxford for the end of April. (Tickets on eventbrite)


Screenshot 2017-02-21 09.29.17New publication: the role of IMCAs  (in Nursing in Critical Care) www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28247553

7 November 2017 The ‘WeEOLC’ chat
We were the guests for the regular @WeEOLC ‘twitter chat’ session. In this session we will be exploring the theme of: ‘Death following feeding tube withdrawal: supporting patients, families and staff’. This is hosted by @WeEOLC: “Connecting tweeting healthcare professionals via twitter & tweetchats . Part of the WeCommunities. @learnhospice @heblau @BridgetJohnst”


26 October 2017: Professor Celia Kitzinger  delivered a seminar on “End of Life Issues in Disorders of Consciousness” in which she’ll discuss the implications of the judgment in M v A Hospital in Newcastle upon Tyne on Thursday, October 26 at 6pm. The event, which is free to attend, will be held at law firm Sintons, the Cube, Barrack Road, NE4 6DB. To book a place, contact peter.jennings@sintons.co.uk.


24 October 2017, Parliamentary Select Committee Investigation into NHS continuing healthcare funding 

Submitted evidence to the Parliamentary Select Committee Investigation into NHS continuing healthcare funding [www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/public-accounts-committee/inquiries/parliament-2017/investigation-nhs-healthcare-funding-17-19/]


19 October 2017, Continuing Professional Development Workshop A full day CPD workshop on Advance Decisions to Refuse Treatment, British Psychological Society, Division of Clinical Psychology Wales, Newport, Wales (Co-taught by Sue Wilkinson and Celia Kitzinger)


18 October 2017, BMA consultation.

Professor Celia Kitzinger helped co-ordinate and run this consultation day to inform development of new BMA guidelines


16-18 October 2017: court case

We spent three days at Preston crown court. With the judge’s permission we live-tweeted this case across all three days – using the hashtag #COPoct17

  

You can review the tweets by looking at @cdocuk for those dates (or at a storify we are planning).

The tweets present short summaries of statements made by witnesses (such a healthcare staff and family members). The tweets also present some of questions put by the barristers, and comments by the judge. The aim is to give an impression of what the evidence was, how it was tested in court, and give insight into the court processes in Best Interests decision making

  


13 October 2017 Holycross Hospital – launch of new training centre

We spoke at this launch event for a new training centre – addressing families experiences of DOC/ Severe brain injuries alongside a wide range of health care professionals examining issues raining from ‘breaking bad news’ to supporting the children

of a severely brained injured parent.of a severely brained injured parent.


12 October 2017 – Celia Kitzinger’s article in Neuro-rehab Times was published

– exploring the implications of recent rulings that address whether or not cases need to go to court. Link here: Life and Death Decisions


10 October 2017, Forum on End of Life in Ireland

Jenny Kitzinger gave the opening keynote at the 5th biennial conference organised by the Forum on End of Life in Ireland – an initiative of the Irish Hospice Foundation. The theme of the Conference was “Have Your Say”. Alongside this media coverage included profiles of Professor Kitzinger in  articles in the Irish Times and Irish Express, contributions to Irish radio news – and a discussion on the Pat McKenney Show.


Media contributions  21 September 2017. 

We contributed to a series of media discussions – drawing on our research about the effects of a perceived need to go to court for decisions about withdrawing ANH from PVS/MCS patients even after families and clinical teams agreed it was not in the patient’s best interests.

Contributions included to Radio 4’s ‘The Today Programme’  the BBC lunchtime news as well as a series of other outlets (e.g. BBC Radio Wales and the LBC radio) and talking to print journalists e.g. the New Scientist.


19-20th September 2017, “Bioethicists as Advocates and Activists: Professional Boundaries and Commitments”: 18th annual international symposium of the Policy, Ethics and Life Sciences (PEALS) Research Centre, Newcastle University, UK 19-20 September 2017. We presented exploring the relationship between our academic work and contributing to social and policy change


International End of Life Conference: Law, Ethics, Policy and Practice, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada 13-15 September 2017

Pre-conference Workshop 13 September 2017: We contributed to a workshop on law reform in the end-of-life area drawing on case studies of success (or failure) in changing the law in different jurisdictions. By examining the law reform experience internationally in this area, we hope to understand better how and why the law governing end-of-life decision-making can be changed. We addressed the (disputed) legal requirement in England and Wales that cases involving withdrawal of life-prolonging treatment from patients in prolonged disorders of consciousness must receive judicial scrutiny from the Court of Protection.
We also be presented two talks during the conference – one on advance decisions and the other on legal issues relating to disorders of consciousness.
Further information here: http://icel2halifax.ca


Neuroscience, Consciousness and ethics, August 2017

Jenny Kitzinger & Adrian Owen talked to science journalist, Ian Sample, for the Guardian’s podcast about Dr Owen’s new book ‘Into the Gray Zone’ Listen at: https://www.theguardian.com/science/audio/2017/sep/06/the-grey-zone-reaching-out-to-patients-with-disorders-of-consciousness-science-weekly-podcast

Can new technologies help refine diagnosis and prognosis? What are the implications of detecting consciousness? How can science enter into dialogue with social and ethical contexts?


A Right to Die?  Socio-legal Perspectives, Keele 18 July 2017

Celia Kitzinger presented on: “Court applications for withdrawal of artificial nutrition and hydration from patients in a permanent vegetative state: Family experiences’.  This is part of a panel entitled “Assisted Dying and Euthanasia” – although of course withdrawal of treatment in the patient’s best interests is neither ‘assisted dying’ nor ‘euthanasia’ (as the talk will make clear).  Other speakers in the panel include: Dr Sue Westwood on “Older lesbians, gay men and the “right to die” debate’”; and Professor Sue Read & Dr Sotirios Santatzoglou, Keele University on ‘Exploring hospice care from the perspectives of people living with multiple sclerosis: An exploratory case study”.


Summer School on Doing and Communicating Qualitative Research, London  17-20 July 2017

Celia Kitzinger gave a Keynote Address on Monday 16th July.  “Making a difference with qualitative research” The talk focused on our work to support families of patients in vegetative and minimally conscious states and to change policy and procedures concerning court applications to withdraw feeding tubes from these patients.  It addressed the ways in which we worked collaboratively with families, clinicians, lawyers, allied health professionals and advocates; and the challenges of working with artists to ‘translate’ our research findings into paintings, music and ‘soundscape’, poetry, and a shadow puppet show. It included discussion of our work with the legal profession (including our experience as the first academics ever to live-tweet from the Court of Protection) and the variety of ways in which we have engaged and addressed audiences of different stakeholders. The talk described my own experience of doing research designed from the outset to make a difference, and will consider the difference that the research has made. The – sometimes troublesome – intersection of campaigning zeal with the neo-liberal university climate was addressed, alongside the current notions of ‘impact’ and ‘impact capture’.


British Psychological Society, Faculty of Psychology of Older People National Conference 2017, Durham,  12- 13 July 2017

Workshop:  “Death is an awfully big adventure”:  Cath Burley, Celia Kitzinger & Sarah Ronaghan.


British Psychological Society Qualitative Methods in Psychology Annual Conference, Aberystwyth 5-7 July 2017

Celia Kitzinger gave a Keynote address on 6 July focusing on the qualitative methodologies used and the impact of the work of the Coma and Disorders of Consciousness Research Centre.


Critical Physiotherapy Network Cardiff Colloquium, 2017

5th July 2017: Julie Latchem presented ‘Identifying bodies: challenges in maintaining anonymity in ethnographic research’ at the Critical Physiotherapy Network Cardiff Colloquium


e-learning, medicine and ethics: ‘To tech, or not to tech, is that the question?

4th July 2017 CDoC members Dr Geraldine Hastings and Julie Latchem presented on: ‘Students as co-producers for inter-professional education (IPE) multimedia learning resources at Cardiff University’s Centre for Innovation Learning & Teaching Conference


Death & Dying: Exploring Christian perspectives conferences, 2017

Speaking at conferences on death and dying: York, 1st July 2017 See here for further information about the initiative as a whole and updates


UK Central Ethics Network

June 2017. Wegave a plenary talk on the minimally conscious state at the 17th UKCEN Annual Conference,  at the Royal Liverpool Institution . The theme of this year’s conference is ‘Family Matters’


Coma and Consciousness Touring Arts, 2017

Exhibition2017  Our exhibition on  ‘Coma and Consciousness’ has toured sites across the UK (e.g. to art galleries, conferences, care homes, medical schools, community centres and churches). In 2017 the tour includes Quaker Meeting house in  London, and venues in Frome, York, and Oxford. Look out for further details of the  venues – or send an enquiry if you would be interested in hosting any part of the exhibition.


The 12th Barts Health Bereavement Conference, 2017

Celia Kitzinger talked about “Family Experience of Bereavement when a Relative is in a Prolonged Disorder of Consciousness” The 12th Barts Health Bereavement Conference  Monday 12th June 2017, 9:00am-5:00pm Venue: Perrin Lecture Theatre, RLH To book a place on the day contact:  peter.southern@bartshealth.nh s.uk


MCA and Disability Research Symposium – University of York

26th May 2017 –  Julie Latchem spoke at this symposium, presenting her paper on ‘Troubling researcher-led recruitment: the self-selection of brain injured adults who lack capacity to consent’


Law and Ethics Training day for Fairlie Healthcare neuro-rehab care centres, 2017

30 March 2017 – We are ran a training day for all staff on best interests decision-making and continuing/discontinuing life-prolonging treatment for patients in VS/MCS. The training addressed the Mental Capacity Act and the ‘best interests’ balance sheet, examined new case law, explored issues of ethics, communication and the practicalities of making court applications.


Scottish Parliament Cross Party Group on End of Life, 2017

28 March Celia Kitzinger spoke to the Scottish Parliament Cross Party Group on End of Life issues


Moral Status & the Golden Boy‘Moral Status and the Golden Boy’, Play, Radio 4  (14th March 2017)

Radio 4 broadcast a play exploring some philosophical ideas about the permanent vegetative state – informed by our work and briefings to the writer – but not how we would have done it!  http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08hnlxw


C3RI8RtWcAY30Rd.jpg-largeConferences with London Quakers  (28th Jaunary 2017)  and with Frome Methodist Church (11th February)

We worked with partners to host two conference on end of life decision-making, the role of churches and ecumenical perspectives on ethics and theology. Panels addressed a wide range of issues, including diverse perspectives on treatment withdrawal and exploring advance decisions. We are currently working on similar events in  Oxford for the end of April. (Tickets on eventbrite)

 

 

2018


Screenshot 2017-02-21 09.29.17New publication: the role of IMCAs  (in Nursing in Critical Care) www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28247553

29 November 2018 – Dilemmas in the Management of Complex Brain Injury, Priory Highbank Centre,  Manchester  Speakers included: Celia Kitzinger, Mathieu Culverhouse, Krystyna Walton, Andrew Bentley. (Approx. 60 health care professionals attended).  Check the link for more details:-https://www.priorygroup.com/nhs/education-events-and-resources/event-timetable


24 November 2018 – An open workshop was run by Celia Kitzinger on Advance Directives in Glasgow at  the Scottish Youth Theatre, 105 Brunswick St, Glasgow (50 attendees, general public). www.friends-at-the-end.org.uk/events/friends-at-the-end-annual-general-meeting/ 


20 November 2018 – We talked to the Northamptonshire Acquired Brain Injury Forum.  “Advance Decisions ?  What does it mean for treating / supporting your brain injured client”  Northampton. Further info  here. (Attendees: 48  brain injury professionals – mostly health and social care)


16 November 2018 – We contributed to a Schwartz round discussion with Marie Curie hospice staff about end of life care for patients in PDoCs (About 35 staff came to this discussion – reflecting on their own experiences and views).


26 October 2018  – GW4 conference on end of life care in Bristol (Audience for the conference included around 110 members of the public) http://gw4.ac.uk/event/way-die-now/


27 October 2018  – presented at  the Lancet Commission “Value of Death” event (talking with 18 colleagues from across different disciplines and jurisdictions)


11 October 2018– presented at the Holy Cross Hospital event consensus meeting on physical management and the care of people with prolonged disorders of consciousness. Conference attendees consisted of around 80 healthcare professionals working in neuro-rehab


28 September 2018 – Dr Julie Latchem-Hastings and Dr Geraldine Latchem-Hastings spoke at @ at the Advanced Update in Critical Care for AHPs / nurses / ACCPs / research nurses.


28 September 2018 – We launched the new CDoC resource for Allied Healthcare professionals working with patients in prolonged disorders of consciousness – see ‘Training’ section of this website.


15 Sept 2018 – Celia Kitzinger presented on ‘Conversations about Death and Dying’ at the COSLA Conference Centre, Edinburgh


11 Sept – Jenny Kitzinger presented a lecture on ‘Best Interests’ and life-sustaining treatment for the Cardiff University Masters in  ‘Palliative care; ethical, legal and complex challenges in adults’ (Around 80 healthcare staff – working in emergency medicine, ICU, hospices etc)


8 Sept 2018- Publication of: Kitzinger, J & Kitzinger, C (2018) Creating Positive Change: reflecting on the significance of the recent Supreme Court judgment on feeding tubes and end of life decisions. The ESRC ‘Society Now’ Autumn 2018, Issue 32 https://content.yudu.com/web/2ol8a/0A34yod/SN32/html/index.html?page=16&origin=reader


30-31 August: following the Supreme Court judgment confirming it was not mandatory to go to Court before enacting a best interests decision to withdraw CANH from VS/MCS patients (where proper procedures had been followed and there was no doubt/dispute) – we talked extensively to journalists and contributed to newspaper and journal reports, radio and TV news discussions. As well as appearing on BBC and Channel4 TV news we contributed to the following radio programmes

 31 August 2018 Radio Interviews on Supreme Court decision

Jenny Kitzinger talks to Vanessa Feltz 

30 July 2018 -We were interviewed about the Supreme Court Judgment on: BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Radio Wales

Jenny Kitzinger talks to Radio Wales about the Supreme Court judgment

 

Jenny Kitzinger interviewed on Radio 5 live about the Supreme Court judgment


19 July 2018  – presented to the Welsh Government PDOC Task & Finish Group (This group involved about 15 key decision-makers from across policy/practice)


 

18 July 2018 –  Shrewsbury: we gave a keynote at  the conference on  ‘Advance Care Planning in non-malignant disease’. (Attendees were around 60 health care professionals)


11 July 2018 –  CDoC co-organised a conference with the Independent Neurological Providers Alliance on Best Interests decision-making and life sustaining treatment – with a particular focus on the long-term care setting. Venue:  FieldFisher, Riverbank House, London. Speakers included Prof Mike Barnes, CDoC members Professor Jenny Kitzinger, Professor Celia Kitzinger, Dr Julie Latchem-Hastings and Dr Geraldine Latchem-Hastings together with key people from the British Medical Association including: Ruth Campbell  – Senior Policy Advisor in the BMA’s Medical Ethics and Human Rights Department. Dr John Chisholm CBE – Chair of the British Medical Association Medical Ethics Committee and a BMA Vice-President and Veronica English – Head of Medical Ethics and Human Rights at the British Medical Association. Participants included over 100 staff working within Independent  neurocare and rehab centres. Outline downloadable here.   

_________________________________________________________________________________________

10 July 2018 – Ran a session for the Cardiff Older Feminist Network – looking at Advance Planning for loss of capacity (This group consisted of around older woman wanting to think about their own end-of-life care)


 

1 July – contributed to the Scarborough ‘Popping our Clogs’ festival – with a session on writing Advance Decisions (Around 40 members of the public attended this event)


25-27 June –  Dr Geraldine Latchem-Hastings attended the  COMET conference in Birmingham, presenting a poster on the development of online learning resource for pre-registration Allied Health Professional Students about prolonged disorders of consciousness. Exploring the power of collaboration with students her title was: “Healthcare students as co-producers for inter-professional education (IPE) multimedia learning resources’. This international conference focuses on the dissemination of ongoing research in language/discourse/communication studies in relation to healthcare education, patient participation and professional ethics. The delegates were from different disciplinary backgrounds involving various healthcare specialties and the human and social sciences.


21 June 2018 – We presented on Best Interests decision making at the Welsh Intensive Care Society Annual Conference, Saundersfoot (Conference involved about 80 Intensive care practitioners)


11 June  – Drs Julie and Geraldine Latchem-Hastings visited the National Rehabilitation Centre for Ireland in Dublin, Republic of Ireland to launch the CDoC’s learning resource for qualified allied health professionals. They presented to 50 staff including physiotherapists, speech and language therapist, occupational therapists and clinical psychologists.


15 April 2018

BBC1, The Big Questions @bbcbigquestions “Is the NHS still fit for purpose?”

Celia Kitzinger spoke on why advance decisions and lasting power of attorney should be promoted in the NHS  (from 38.5 mins in) https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0b0b592

 


27 March – We contributed to the ‘Accommodating Conscience Research Network’ (ACoRN) Roundtable Event University of Strathclyde. (The group consisted of 25 academics)


29 March 2018 – We presented on ‘Academic Activism’ in the method stream of the Association of Socio-Legal Studies annual conference in Bristol


9 Feb 2018- Jenny spoke at the Royal Society of Medicine in London – the ‘Choice at the end of life: Current practice and overseas developments’ event on Feb 9th 2018. (Audience around 300 doctors) Her 10 min video can be viewed here


18 January 2018 –   

Celia Kitzinger gave the Brandon Lecture at the Leicestershire Medico-Legal Society. She spoke on ‘Refusing Life-Prolonging Treatment in Advance of Losing Capacity and her talk looked at the role of Advance Decisions in England and Wales, especially in relation to nutrition and hydration. (Attendees: about 50 lawyers and legal professionals and academics)

 

 


2 January 2018 –
Jenny Kitzinger was subject of ‘The Eddie Muir’ interview for the BBC’s current affairs programme: ‘PM’.
She spoke about personal family experience, the law about Best Interests, and the potential of Advance Decisions to refuse treatment. A shortened version of the article was published by BBC news. Podcast of radio interview available here: