Managing specialist care and support in services

Sometimes, people don’t feel well enough to choose at the time when important health-care decisions need to be made. This tool is about thinking ahead about some of those choices, so you can decide what matters most to you and consider some of those choices ahead of time.

Spiritual care is an important part of palliative care. Having a terminal illness often leads people to think about their lives in new ways, and their spiritual needs may change. All health and social care professionals can help explore the patient’s spiritual needs, and identify when someone might need more support.

This report explores the challenges in how palliative and end-of-life care for people with dementia is coordinated and delivered across the system, drawing on the experiences of families, carers and professionals across the UK.

It sets out a series of recommendations for government and health and care leaders on how services can work more effectively together to provide proactive, person-centred care.

This CPD Accredited Level 5 Diploma course has been designed with in-depth consultation with families and individuals on the Autism Spectrum. It is cutting edge and based on best practice guidelines..

The course is self-paced with guided learning materials and taught components, and is designed to be completed in 12 months or less. Full tutor support is given throughout.

This ADHD Awareness course is ideal for anyone who wants to learn more about ADHD. Whether you’re a parent or carer looking to improve your understanding, or someone working in an education or health and social care environment, this course can help.

During your studies, you’ll learn more about what ADHD is and the signs and symptoms to be aware of. You’ll also cover how ADHD can be diagnosed, the support available for parents and in education settings, and whether or not medication can help. This course will cover everything you need to know to help you better support those with ADHD that are in your care.

Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS) offers a postgraduate programme in Ageing and Dementia Studies, designed to equip professionals with the knowledge and skills to improve the quality of life for people living with dementia. The course provides a comprehensive framework for understanding the ageing process and dementia, blending clinical knowledge with communication, research, and leadership skills.

The Alzheimer’s Society offer a wide range of interactive dementia courses available to individuals and organisations. There are currently 14 dementia courses available, and each course takes approximately 45 to 60 minutes to complete.

This course will introduce you to different perspectives on death; ethical issues related to dying and end-of-life care; as well as expressions of grief.

The Aspirant Cancer Career and Education Development (ACCEND) programme provides guidance on the knowledge, skills and capabilities required by all nurses and allied health professionals who care for people living with cancer in generalist and specialist cancer services and roles as part of multi-professional teams. Using a range of learning opportunities, including this elearning programme, ACCEND provides a definitive career and development pathway for those aspiring to work in cancer care.

A one-day introduction for care professionals in West Sussex, covering approaches to working positively with autistic children and adults.

A one-day course for staff in West Sussex providing day-to-day support, delivered by Lived Experience Training.

This free, CPD-accredited course is designed for anyone working with individuals who express Behaviours of Concern. It will help you develop the skills to manage crisis situations safely and effectively. You’ll learn verbal de-escalation techniques and preventative strategies for situations where restraint is not appropriate.

This important new research is the largest nationally representative survey of people affected by dying, death and bereavement since 2015. It provides clear evidence that too many people are unable to access the joined-up care and support they and their unpaid carers need at the end of life.

Care and Treatment Reviews (CTRs) are for children and adults with a learning disability, autism or both. CTRs were developed as part of NHS England’s commitment to improving the care of people with learning disabilities autism or both. (Please note, for children and young people, the reviews are called “Care, Education and Treatment Reviews” or CTRs).

This elearning programme helps everyone involved in Care and Treatment Reviews understand their role, and what happens at a review. It shows what a ‘good’ review looks like and explains how the review panel might offer a challenge to services to think differently about the care and support to the person that enables them to remain in their home and their community.

This qualification aims to raise your awareness of mental health and a range of mental health problems. You will gain an understanding of prevalent mental health problems and how you can then work with or interact with individuals with them.

This qualification is designed for anyone looking to develop their understanding of mental health and the problems that can cause mental ill health.

This course will develop your knowledge and understanding of caring for the elderly. It is designed for those who wish to understand the principles of elderly care, and learn more about common health issues and legislation that relates to elderly care. All units are compulsory.

This qualification will develop your understanding of lean organisation techniques and the skills required to work effectively in a team in the business sector. This qualification covers the skills and knowledge needed to use lean organisation and business improvement techniques in business and to work effectively in a team.

Develop a comprehensive understanding of issues related to different types of learning disabilities and how these affect individuals in their daily lives through this certificate in principles of working with individuals with learning disabilities.

This guideline covers interventions and support for children, young people and adults with a learning disability and behaviour that challenges. It highlights the importance of understanding the cause of behaviour that challenges, and performing thorough assessments so that steps can be taken to help people change their behaviour and improve their quality of life. The guideline also covers support and intervention for family members or carers.

The Communicating with empathy programme aims to promote sensitive and effective communication in end-of-life care and offers valuable, interesting, and accessible learning that will be useful for informal carers, agency and care home staff, healthcare assistants and other staff providing end-of-life care. Each session is designed to take 20-30 minutes to complete and can be completed in any order. 

This online Level 3 Certificate in Neurodiversity and Inclusion has been carefully developed in partnership with families and individuals with lived experience of autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, and other forms of neurodivergence. Grounded in current best practice and research, the course offers a modern, practical approach to understanding and supporting neurodivergent people.

You’ll explore neurodiversity and inclusive practice in depth, beginning with a detailed focus on autism. Alongside this, you’ll gain insight into a range of neurodivergent profiles, including ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, OCD, and Tourette’s. The course also introduces key positive psychology concepts such as strengths, authenticity, and resilience, helping you develop a strengths-based, person-centred approach that you can confidently apply in your professional practice.

For adult social care staff working in Brighton &Hove

This course covers the challenges and dilemmas when supporting people with dementia. It covers managing risk and end of life care. You can take this course if you support people with dementia regularly and already have some knowledge and experience of dementia. 

Register for this course via Brighton & Hove City Council Learning Zone.

For Brighton & Hove care staff

This course is for social workers, care managers and occupational therapists who assess the needs of people living with dementia and their carers. To take this course, you must have experience and understanding of dementia and/or have attended the Dementia Basic Awareness course.

Register for this course via Brighton & Hove City Council Learning Zone.

This one-day course offers an introduction to dementia and is suitable for health and adult social care staff who have not previously attended dementia training.

Register for this course via Brighton & Hove City Council Learning Zone.

By the end of this CPD-accredited online course, you will be able to provide compassionate care with confidence, demonstrate a clear understanding of dementia and its impact on individuals, communicate effectively with people living with dementia, and contribute to creating a supportive and enabling environment.

This Level 2 course provides learners with the key principles in supporting and caring for those with dementia, enabling them to actively assist individuals with the condition using appropriate methods.

Each unit contains an assessment to demonstrate your knowledge of each subject area. Once you successfully complete all units you will achieve a Level 2 Certificate in the Principles of Dementia Care.

This one-hour webinar explores how managers can implement effective dementia training to improve wellbeing and engagement for people living with dementia. It introduces Skills for Care’s new dementia resources, shares how providers are using them in practice, and outlines available funding and training routes for dementia qualifications.

East Sussex County Council offer a number of free dementia-focused courses, with a mixture of online learning and in-person options.

Created for the adult social care workforce and for family carers, these dementia resources provide clear, accessible and person-centred information to help maintain quality of life at every stage of the condition.

Inspired by the Dementia Skilled Practice Level set by the Scottish government, this in-depth 120 minute course delves into the diverse facets of dementia, providing insights on supporting individuals with dementia, as well as their families and caregivers. By the end, you’ll be equipped to empower individuals affected by dementia, enabling them to lead fuller, more independent lives while preserving their dignity for as long as possible.

This guide provides practical tips, tools, and examples to help care staff respond to distressed behaviours with compassion, respect and confidence.

On this three-week course from Lancaster University, you’ll learn the best practices for managing difficult end of life symptoms. With this knowledge, you’ll be able to improve your care practices as a health and social care professional or a family caregiver.You’ll learn what it means to die well as you unpack patterns and experiences at the end of life. Exploring findings from a European Commission funded study, you’ll also discover the use of sedation and other care options you can use in your context.

The Learning Support Centre provides a range of specialist disability support services that are tailored to the individual needs of our clients.

Our services include: one to one specialist tuition, coaching, mentoring, notetaking, transcription services, assistive technology training, personal assistants and personal care.
Our role is to support our service users in accessing education and the workplace as well as provide general support with day to day living. Clients may include people with physical or sensory disabilities, people with neurological conditions (e.g. dyslexia) and people with mental health issues, who wish to develop and enhance their skills for study and work.

The End-of-life Care for All (e-ELCA) programme is an elearning library which provides resources to enhance the training and education of the health and social care workforce so that well-informed high-quality care can be delivered by confident and competent staff and volunteers to support people wherever they happen to be.

This qualification will provide you with the required skills and knowledge to support an individual at their end of life, as well as their families and significant others. This qualification will enable you to start and develop your career in social care or health care industry by allowing you to learn more about the delivery of optimum patient care and developing your transferrable skills within health sector.

Each unit contains an assessment to demonstrate your knowledge of each subject area. Once you successfully complete all units you will achieve a Level 2 Certificate in the Principles of End of Life Care.

The 2024 report ‘End of Life Care is Everyone’s Business‘ calls for critical reforms in end-of-life care, particularly highlighting the need to strengthen the skills and training of the health and social care workforce. 

With increasingly ageing populations, we are living longer but dying more slowly. New ideas around end of life care are therefore emerging in different contexts. In this course you will discover the patterns and global trends taking place in palliative care, and explore these new approaches from a social science and humanities perspective.

On this ten-week microcredential from the University of Glasgow, you’ll be introduced to new critical perspectives from within the social sciences, humanities, and clinical disciplines. Taking an interdisciplinary approach that encourages new ways of thinking, you’ll gain the tools to reflect on your own professional and personal encounters with dying, death, and grief.

A range of research has shown that the end-of-life care needs of people with dementia, and their families, are poorly understood and inconsistently addressed. An awareness of the psychosocial, physical and spiritual needs of the whole person is key to tackling this issue – something that this online course will give you. You’ll develop the knowledge and understanding that will help you provide better quality support to – and enhance the wellbeing and dignity of – people with dementia towards the end of life. You’ll also learn to better communicate and co-ordinate care with their families.

ECEPC is a highly respected qualification in palliative care. It is a 9-week course, delivered remotely, covering a range of topics. The course is offered to registered healthcare professionals from all disciplines providing palliative care, including those from primary, secondary and tertiary settings.

This course covers a wider range of mental health conditions and goes into detail on the range of therapy and professional support that a person may be given by professional bodies during treatment for a mental health condition. The course is suitable for all persons within a workplace but is aimed at those who hold a supervisory/managerial level position and who have responsibility for implementing a positive mental health culture and responsibility for First Aid for Mental Health within an organisation.

FAA Level 3 Award in Supervising First Aid for Mental Health (RQF). This online course ensures that you have the knowledge and understanding to be competent Mental Health First-Aider.

Whether you’re worried about someone’s memory, helping a loved one with understanding a diagnosis, or looking for care options, this roadmap offers simple steps and useful tips to help your through the dementia journey.

This report explores how people with dementia and their families experience care in England. The findings draw on direct feedback from individuals, alongside data gathered from health and social care providers. The report highlights several ongoing challenges, as well as examples of good practice.

This how to guide will give care home managers and staff, guidance on how to create a community within the care home and bring members of the local community into the home to volunteer, befriend, run activities and form friendship groups with their residents.

This document from the PBS Academy sets out practical standards to help individual service settings deliver high-quality PBS, regardless of size or ownership. While focused on local teams, it also considers how wider organisational policies can support PBS in practice.

This course helps you understand that neurodiversity is a viewpoint that brain differences are normal, rather than deficits.

This course will give learners an overview of the Framework for Supporting Autistic People – Domain E: Leadership and management, education, and research. This domain will encompass how leadership can support organisations and improve the quality of care for people with autism.

This workshop is aimed at staff supporting people with learning disabilities. The workshop explores the experience of living with learning disabilities and dementia.

This course is for all East Sussex care/support workers in a learning disability setting, particularly those supporting older people (50+) with a learning disability. It aims to equip you with the knowledge to provide support that is appropriate to the individual needs of people with a learning disability and dementia.

The knowledge and skills needed to provide dementia care has never been more necessary than it is now. This qualification will help you understand what the condition entails, as well teach how best to support those who are affected by it. The course covers essential topics such as positive communication techniques and person-centred approaches that take into account an individual’s needs at every stage of their journey through this difficult time in life.

This free, online level 2 qualification aims to give learners working in, or intending to work in, healthcare and social care the knowledge and understanding of end-of-life care in their role.

Course units:

• Unit 1: Understand how to work in end of life care
• Unit 2: Care planning in end of life care
• Unit 3: Understand how to provide support to manage pain and discomfort
• Unit 4: End of life care and dementia
• Unit 5: Understanding the role of the care worker in time of death
• Unit 6: Understand loss and grief in end of life care

This online Level 3 course explores the principles behind compassionate, evidence-based support for people living with dementia. You’ll gain a recognised qualification while developing in-depth understanding that can enhance your current role or open the door to further opportunities in adult social care.

The course may be fully funded if you’re earning under £25,000 (subject to postcode eligibility).

This report highlights the urgent need for improved support for the nearly one million people living with dementia in the UK. Backed by the Alzheimer’s Society and the Peter Sowerby Foundation, the report reveals that current care is often patchy, unequal and under-resourced.

It calls for a shift towards community-based care, better post-diagnostic support, and greater investment in prevention—arguing that these changes could help people live well for longer while reducing pressure on hospitals and carers.

The report also highlights the promising PriDem model, which integrates primary care, personal care planning, and community support. In pilot areas, it’s already helped more people receive a tailored care plan.

Macmillan offers a range of learning opportunities for healthcare professionals through their Learning Hub. On the Hub, you can access information about live training events and explore the Enhanced Palliative and End of Life Care Development Toolkit. This toolkit includes a catalogue of interactive online modules, tools, and resources designed for health and social care professionals involved in decision-making for people with life-limiting illnesses. It is divided into five topic areas:

• Pain management in palliative and end of life care
• Other common palliative and end of life symptoms
• Communication in palliative and end of life care
• Palliative care emergencies
• End of life care and bereavement.

To access the toolkit and other learning opportunities, log in to the Learning Hub or click here to create a free account.

In this course you will learn about how key perspectives in the field have made sense of mental health problems. By directly relating key perspectives to a case study, you will reflect on how the medical perspective, psychological perspective and social need perspective come to make sense of mental ill-health.

This managing patients deaths: compliance and management level 3 course will give an overview of best practices surrounding patient deaths including mortality governance, investigations, safety culture, and understanding the impact of human factors on staff performance and behaviour.

this qualification builds an understanding of mental health problems and the support available to colleagues. Increasing the understanding of mental health of staff at all levels builds a culture of care and support.

As a health and social care professional, you play a vital role in shaping the future of end-of-life care. In this edition of our newsletter, we’ll share courses and resources to help you navigate the unique challenges of this emotive subject and support you in delivering compassionate, person-centred care.

This newsletter focuses on person-centred approaches to supporting individuals who present with behaviours that may challenge. Such behaviours can arise for many reasons, including unmet needs, communication difficulties, emotional distress, or changes in health or environment.

This edition includes local courses and resources to help you and your team champion Positive Behaviour Support in an enabling and person-centred way.

In 2019 Health Education England and NHS England published the ‘Core Capabilities Framework for Supporting People with a Learning Disability’. This includes people with learning disabilities and autistic people. It was produced in partnership with Skills for Care and Skills for Health.The five MindEd Learning Disability Mental Health modules in this programme now comprise 14 separate sessions of e-learning. They are based on the Core Capabilities Framework. The sessions are intended to support the development of knowledge, skills and competencies related to the mental health of people with learning disability, including people with learning disabilities and autistic people.

This course is aimed at those who care and provide moving and handling assistance for people with dementia. It covers the specific challenges and issues that arise when helping someone with dementia to move and transfer, aiming to reduce anxiety and ensure maximum engagement function and safety for all.  

This flexible online MSc is tailored for professionals and volunteers in dementia care. The course covers the latest innovations and best practices, supported by the University’s renowned Dementia Services Development Centre.

This course gives an overview of the wide range of neurodiverse experiences as well as explanations of dyspraxia, dyslexia and Tourette’s syndrome. The course is a mix of structured elearning and supporting videos.

The draft Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism code of practice outlines how health and care providers registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) can meet the legislative requirement introduced by the Health and Care Act 2022 to ensure staff receive training on learning disability and autism, appropriate to their role. 

The public consultation on the draft code of practice will run for 12 weeks and closes on Tuesday 19 September 2023. Following this, the government will consider all consultation responses to inform any final changes to the draft code of practice.

This online resource hub collates key palliative care information for health and social care professionals, organised into the following categories:

• Last days and hours
• Symptom management
• Specific conditions
• High quality end of life care
• Communication and emotional support
• Recognising emergencies in palliative care

This in-person 3-day course develops knowledge and practical skills in Positive Behaviour Support (PBS). It is suitable for learning Disability Services who provide support to individuals who display high risk challenging behaviours. The course is funded for adult social care staff working for Brighton and Hove City Council, and staff working in adult social care provider services that contract with Brighton and Hove City Council.

This free, CPD-accredited course is designed to equip you with the knowledge, skills and strategies you need to promote positive behaviours and prevent problematic ones.

This online Foundation level course is designed for all health and social care professionals. It will equip you with the knowledge and skills to apply PBS principles effectively, foster respectful relationships, and support individuals with dignity and autonomy. Through detailed lessons, case studies, and reflective practices, you will gain a deep understanding of PBS and its application in diverse settings.

This in-person refresher session provides an essential update for those who’ve previously completed the full PBS course. It includes key changes in legislation, guidance, and good practice, alongside a multiple-choice questionnaire and practical assessment to demonstrate current competence.

The course is suitable for staff supporting adults with learning disabilities in East Sussex. You must have completed the full 3-day PBS course to attend this refresher.

This in-person 3-day course equips direct carers with the knowledge and skills to deliver person-centred, practical responses to behaviours that challenge. Sessions explore assessment, proactive and reactive strategies, and the wider context of behaviour support. The course is suitable for anyone supporting adults with learning disabilities in East Sussex.

The UK Positive Behavioural Support (PBS) Competence Framework sets out what good PBS looks like in practice, covering both the knowledge and skills needed to support people with learning disabilities who may be at risk of behaviour that challenges.

This Postgraduate Certificate has been designed for those interested in gaining accreditation and specialist knowledge in the education of children and adults on the autism spectrum.

Successful completion of the PGCert Autism Education will give you 60 credits towards the MA Inclusive Special Education.

This resource supports organisations to assess how well they are delivering PBS, using a self-assessment checklist based on national guidance and the PBS Competence Framework. It’s designed to help you identify strengths and areas for development across your policies, systems and practice

Our Education Prospectus offers a diverse range of topics. Courses are suitable for anyone working in a multi-disciplinary team, looking to provide holistic, patient-centred care for palliative and end-of-life care patients, as well as their care givers and loved ones.

St Wilfrid’s Hospice offer a wide range of education and training opportunities to support health and social care professionals in delivering high quality end of life and bereavement care. They offer a blended approach of virtual and face to face delivery (Chichester) and new course dates are added regularly.

This toolkit, first published in June 2024, provides essential guidance for staff working with adults with complex needs. Designed to complement the Sussex Safeguarding Adults Policies & Procedures, it includes links to key resources and policies, as well as adaptable templates for use across various services.

The Stroke elearning programme has been designed to provide an overview of stroke care across the entire pathway and promote better patient care, by providing all health and social care professionals and multidisciplinary teams with the appropriate level of knowledge, skills and experience they need to deliver effective stroke prevention and care to people with stroke, and at risk of stroke.

This checklist helps support workers reflect on their own knowledge and skills, using the PBS Competence Framework as a guide.

This edition of our newsletter highlights learning and development opportunities designed to deepen understanding and support best practice in dementia care. From practical training to thought-provoking webinars, we hope these resources help you continue the conversation, and support those living with dementia in the most informed, compassionate way.

This full-day online workshop is for anyone supporting people living with dementia in day or residential services. It explores the lived experience of dementia and focuses on developing person-centred approaches that support wellbeing and enhance quality of life. Drawing on Tier 1 and 2 of the Dementia Training Standards Framework, the session is designed to strengthen communication, connection, and compassion in care.

Health and Care Passports are documents that help people with a learning disability and autistic people communicate their needs, preferences and reasonable adjustments. This recorded webinar explains what Health and Care Passports are, how they can be used in practice, and how they support more personalised and accessible care.

This one-day workshop is for those supporting people with dementia who may display behaviours that are perceived as challenging. It encourages reflection on the possible reasons behind such behaviours and explores approaches that promote positive communication and support.

This one-day workshop is delivered via MS Teams and is aimed at those who are supporting people with dementia who may behave in ways that could be perceived as challenging. 

This one-day online workshop explores how behaviour can be a form of communication for people living with dementia. You’ll reflect on your own values, learn practical techniques, and consider supportive, person-centred approaches. The course is suitable for anyone supporting people with dementia who may display behaviours that could be perceived as challenging.

This 3-hour interactive webinar is part of a blended learning approach, designed to help you reflect on why behaviour occurs and how to support individuals safely and effectively. The session is suitable for anyone supporting people with learning disabilities who may behave in ways that could be perceived as challenging.

This episode explores how sight and hearing loss affect people living with dementia. It looks at how sensory changes can make communication harder, increase falls, and lead to withdrawal – and what care teams can do to help.

Topics include:

• Early signs of sensory changes and why they matter
• Practical tips – from better lighting to clean hearing aids
• Using simple tech to support safety and connection
• Why regular checks and small changes can make a big difference.

Based on a national survey conducted in partnership with Dementia Forward and care providers, this 2025 report explores the state of dementia diagnosis and support across England. The findings highlight significant delays, inequalities and gaps in the dementia care pathway.

This programme is aimed at all staff working in health and social care settings, providing a unique insight into the lived experience of dementia, increasing knowledge and understanding of the condition.

This report, published in August 2025, focuses on the lived experiences of people with dementia and those who support them.

Over 3,000 people affected by dementia took part in the survey. Their insights offer a valuable picture of what is working well, where people are struggling, and where meaningful improvements could be made. The report is a useful resource for policymakers, service providers and communities committed to strengthening support.

The draft code of practice lays out the standards for training on learning disability and autism for CQC-registered health and social care providers and their staff. The guidance aims to ensure that all staff receive meaningful, appropriate training to improve understanding and support for people with a learning disability and autistic people.

It sets out:

• What training staff are legally required to complete
• The standards that training should meet
• Why this training matters

The training is named after Oliver McGowan. Oliver was a young man whose death shone a light on the need for health and social care staff to have better skills, knowledge and understanding of the needs for autistic people and people with a learning disability.

This popular course is designed for learners who wish to develop an understanding of autism or for people who currently work with autistic people and want to progress in their careers and increase their impact. Each unit contains an assessment to demonstrate your knowledge of each subject area. Once you successfully complete all units you will achieve a nationally recognised qualification and accredited Level 2 Certificate in Understanding Autism.

This infographic, created by the UK PBS Alliance and Bild in 2022, offers a clear and accessible way to reflect on the quality of PBS being delivered. Using a traffic light colour system, it explores key areas such as co-design and collaboration, quality of life, communication, and more.

This research report (2024) asks the questions:

• How is social care currently organised for people living with dementia?
• What are the gaps and challenges?
• What actions are needed now to ensure that people living with dementia and their carers benefit from ‘good’ social care?