More than 70 healthcare professionals came together this week at Martin House Children’s Hospice for its first dedicated conference on children’s palliative care.
Held at the charity’s newly redeveloped hospice in Boston Spa, the Martin House Children’s Hospice Conference 2026: Inspiring Excellence took place on Tuesday 15 September. Across the day, delegates shared specialist knowledge, explored practical approaches to care and heard from experts working with children and young people with life-shortening conditions.
Practice Educators Mandy Thorpe and Jen Knell opened the programme with an introduction to specialist palliative care at Martin House and in the community. Dr Michelle Hills, Chief Medical Officer and Consultant in Paediatric Palliative Medicine, and Clinical Nurse Specialist Helen Storton then explored real-life case studies, before leading an expert panel discussion. The morning programme also included a talk by Dr Naomi Taylor and Sinead McBryde on research at Martin House and its current projects.
Sharing the expertise
Charlotte Walker, Deputy Director of Clinical Services at Martin House, said: “Children’s palliative care is about helping babies, children and young people live as fully and comfortably as possible, while supporting their whole family.” She added: “Children with life-shortening conditions may receive care in many different places, not only in a hospice. By sharing the expertise developed at Martin House, we can help more professionals feel confident supporting children and families wherever they encounter them.”
During the afternoon, delegates took part in practical workshops, including simulation training designed to build confidence around care after death, alongside guidance on when and how to refer children and families to a children’s hospice. They were also given tours of the newly transformed Martin House, including its hydrotherapy pool, and had opportunities throughout the day to network and share learning, with Dr Hills signing copies of her new book, The Wrong Order of Things, during lunch.
Each year, Martin House supports more than 550 children and young people with life-shortening conditions, and their families, across West, North and East Yorkshire, with care provided at the hospice, in hospitals and in families’ own homes. The hospice’s Education Centre provides children’s palliative care training to healthcare professionals, helping share the specialist expertise developed at Martin House more widely.
