Welcome, and thank you for visiting the Hospice New Zealand, My Health Hub webpage.

Hospice New Zealand is the national organisation representing all hospice services in New Zealand.

Our purpose is to lead and support the hospice movement in New Zealand, working to ensure equality of access and consistent delivery of palliative and end-of-life care for New Zealanders.

We are a small, dedicated team who work in partnership with all member services to ensure people needing end-of-life hospice care are well supported. All of our hospice members are independently governed and managed at a local level.

We are delighted to be working in partnership with Mobile Health Group to deliver the Palliative Care Lecture Series. This education opportunity is designed for all healthcare professionals with an interest in palliative care.

The lectures will be delivered via webinar on the first Thursday of every month from February to December from 7.30am-8.30am.

For further information regarding education opportunities, visit Hospice New Zealand

Recorded Webinars:

THE NEUROBIOLOGY OF COMPASSION

Held on: Thursday 7th August 2025

Presented by: DR FLORRY O’CONNELL, Palliative Medicine Doctor, St George Hospital, Sydney

During this session, participants will be invited to link practical clinical experience with recent advances in neuroscience, particularly in brain imaging. The session will explore the important work we do and the physiological impact it can have. It will also raise the question — are we all a little oxytocin obsessed?

DE-ESCALATION

Held on: Thursday 3rd July 2025

Presented by: Elle Cradwick, Mental Health Educator | Emmy Smart, Education Psychologist

Topics include:
• How to recognise and de-escalate heightened behaviours
• What responses are needed to de-escalate individuals at different points of the escalation cycle
• The stress response system and what this means both for the escalated person and ourselves.

ASSISTED DYING – THE WHĀNAU EXPERIENCE

Held on: Thursday 5th June 2025

Presented by: AIDA DEHKHODA, PhD
Research Fellow – Victoria University of Wellington

This presentation examines the grief experiences of families following assisted dying, exploring anticipatory grief, caregiving roles, decision-making, stigma, and key psychological models that inform effective support.

KA WHAI AWA,
KA WHAI ARA
LAUNCHING RESOURCES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WITH A SERIOUS ILLNESS IN AOTEAROA

Held on: Thursday 1st May 2025

Presented by: JO TRUSCOTT | LOUISE SUE

In this presentation members of the AYA Palliative Care Working Group shared insights into the collaborative development process, introduced the resources, and outlined the next steps for implementation.

END OF LIFE NEEDS & CONSIDERATIONS FOR PEOPLE WITH DEMENTIA

Held on: Thursday 3rd April 2025

Presented by: DR MICHAL BOYD, RN, ND, FAANP, FCNA(NZ) Nurse Practitioner – Equinox Health Ltd Honorary Assoc Professor – University of Auckland

This presentation highlights the complications associated with advanced dementia and the management of common symptoms and indications for medication deprescribing. It also examines different types of dementia, such as vascular, frontotemporal, and Lewy body dementia, and their unique care challenges. The aim of the presentation is to increase awareness of the unique care needs for individuals with dementia at the end-of-life.

SUPPORTING PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES IN
END-OF-LIFE CARE

Held on: Thursday 6th March 2025

Presented by: DR NIC MCKENZIE, Disability sector consultant | KIM FULLER, Clinical Nurse Consultant IDEA Services/IHC

This presentation explores the experiences of tangata whaikaha and people with intellectual disabilities in end-of-life care. It covers access to community-based services, health inequities, barriers to quality care, effective strategies, and actions to improve outcomes for tangata whaikaha and whanau, emphasizing their perspectives and opportunities for change.

MANAGING DIABETES IN PALLIATIVE & END-OF-LIFE CARE

Held on: Tuesday 11th February 2025

Presented by: DR RYAN PAUL, (Ngaati Maru, Hauraki) Endocrinologist Te Whatu Ora Waikato, Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Waikato

This presentation will provide an overview of managing all types of diabetes in palliative care, including considerations at the end of life. It will cover approaches to new technology in type 1 diabetes, such as continuous glucose monitoring and insulin pump therapy, as well as recent medications in type 2 diabetes, including empagliflozin, dulaglutide, and liraglutide. A prolonged Q&A session will follow to address any questions you may have about diabetes care.

PALLIATIVE CARE & STROKE

Held on: Thursday 5th December 2024

Presented by: DR PETER EASTMAN, Director, Department of palliative care Barwon Health

This presentation will:

Provide a broad overview of the interface between stroke and palliative in both acute and more chronic settings.

THE GIFT OF EYE TISSUE DONATION AT THE END OF LIFE

Held on: Thursday 7th November 2024

Presented by: Maureen Watson, NZ National Eyebank, Dept of Ophthalmology, University of Auckland

This presentation will:
• Provide an introduction to the NZ Eye Bank
• Explain the importance of eye donation
• Detail the steps involved in the donation process.

MANAGING OEDEMA IN PALLIATIVE CARE

Held on: Thursday 3rd October 2024

Presented by: Rebecca Aburn, Nurse Practitioner

This webinar will cover:
• Compression Therapy
• Active and palliative treatment options

PALLIATIVE CARE IN RENAL FAILURE

Held on: Thursday 5th September 2024

Presented by: DR FRANK BRENNAN
Palliative Care Physician, St George and Calvary Hospitals Sydney

Dr Brennan is a Palliative Care Physician based at St George and Calvary Hospitals Sydney. He is employed within the Renal Department at St George Hospital in a Kidney Supportive Care service.
This lecture will be an overview of Kidney Supportive Care and will examine:
• The rationale for its existence
• Decision making around dialysis
• The content of Conservative Kidney Management
• Symptom management
• Brief discussion on Advance Care Planning and care of the dying patient with kidney failure.

THE ROLE OF PARAMEDICS IN
PALLIATIVE CARE

Held on: Thursday 1st August 2024

Presented by: FRASER WATSON
Specialist Clinical Lead, Hato Hone St John

This presentation will outline palliative paramedicine in NZ, including caseload, trends, practice levels, service delivery and clinical practice guidelines. An overview of initiatives and challenges are provided, along with some examples of best practice collaboration with traditional palliative care providers. Case examples are used to illustrate themes.

CREATING COMPASSIONATE
COMMUNITIES & CITIES

Held on: Thursday 4th July 2024

Presented by: Professor Allan Kellehear

This lecture will introduce the public health approach to palliative care outlining the main reasons why these strategies should be central to our palliative care practices and will go on to describe some key explanations and examples. We will review the main popular public health approaches to palliative care including compassionate communities and cities, health promotion, end-of-life/death literacy, service redesigns, and civic policy development. All these strategies underline the public need for all sectors of society to contribute to palliative care.

The value of Death Care as an Integral Part of Palliative Care

Held on: Thursday 6th June 2024

Presented by: Claire Turnham, MBE

In this webinar, Claire will share her vision for a world where every person is treated with respect, kindness and compassion in their living, dying and after death care and her commitment to reclaiming community based, life and death care practices which ultimately lead to healthier bereavement. She will share stories from her personal and professional experience to bring in whanau voice, to highlight safe, sustainable and inclusive death care practices in Aotearoa.

Social Workers Stories

Held on: Thursday 2nd May 2024

Presented by: RUTH CHOI LEE, PG Palliative care specialisation lead/ Professional Teaching Fellow, University of Auckland | Social Worker, Hospice West Auckland

This webinar presentation will explore the critical roles of palliative care social work and core social work skills which play a pivotal role in:
• Addressing the emotional and psychological needs of both patients and their families
• Facilitating difficult conversations
• Providing holistic, compassionate care in end-of-life scenarios

ADVANCE CARE PLANNING IN THE PURSUIT OF HEALTH EQUITY FOR MĀORI

Held on: Thursday 4th April 2024

Presented by: MAARIE HUTANA, Māori Engagement Manager, Advance Care Planning | Tumu kaupapa Māori, whakamahere tauwhiro Te Tāhū Hauora Health Quality & Safety Commission

Advance care planning encourages and cultivates meaningful conversations about future healthcare wishes among whānau, friends, and healthcare teams. At the centre of these discussions is what matters most to people—their personal tikanga.

Maarie guides us through advance care planning in terms of Māori mana motuhake (self-determination) and how these important conversations prepare whānau for healthcare encounters and strengthen their capacity to actively participate in their healthcare decision-making.

Supporting the Spiritual Care of a child and young person with a life-limiting illness

Held on: Wednesday 20th March 2024

Presented by: DR JAN ALDRIDGE, Consultant Clinical Psychologist | MARK CLAYTON, Chaplain, lead for spiritual care, Martin House

In this webinar Mark and Jan will consider the role of rituals and rites of passage, including meaning making, healing in transitions and threshold spaces, and caring for the spirit. In their work, there is an emphasis on wholeness in the absence of cure. They will also consider what this work with children has taught that is relevant to palliative care throughout the life-span.

PCARN – BRINGING PALLIATIVE CARE
RESEARCHERS TOGETHER

Held on: Thursday 7th March 2024

Presented by: CHERYL DAVIES, Co-chair PCARN Manager, Tu Kotahi Maori Asthma and Research Trust

In this presentation Cheryl will discuss the establishment of the newly formed Palliative Care Aotearoa Research Network (PCARN). PCARN is working to create a network of clinical palliative care researchers in Aotearoa to help link existing researchers with those early career researchers. PCARN will offer mentorship to new and existing researchers by assisting with the generation of research ideas and providing advice and resources. We have a key objective to support early Maori researchers and promote opportunities for Maori
community researchers to lead and be involved in our mahi.

DYING WELL IN OLD AGE

Held on: Thursday 1st February 2024

Presented by: DR MICHAL BOYD, Honorary Assoc. Professor, Nurse Practitioner, School of Nursing, University of Auckland

This presentation will discuss the results of the “End of life with dementia research (ELDER)” that explored the quality of end-of-life care for those living in residential aged care. It will also
highlight the changing demographic and complex nature of end-of-life care in old age and offer ideas for an integrated gerontology/palliative care approach.

KEEPING WHĀNAU MĀORI FRONT AND CENTRE AT END OF LIFE

Held on: Thursday 7th December 2023

Presented by: DR TESS MOEKE-MAXWELL, Senior Research Fellow, Te Ārai, University of Auckland
Ngāi Tai ki Tamaki & Ngāti Porou

In this presentation Tess will reflect on the tikanga (customs), and preferences expressed by whānau Māori at the end of life. Since completing her post-doctoral work in 2012 Tess has continued to research whānau using Kaupapa Māori and Māori centred research methods to gather and share information about their end of life cultural needs and practices. She will present the key findings of research she has led over the past 10 years, with and for whānau, under the direction of the Te Ārai Kāhui Kaumātua.

A MODEL OF CARE FOR PEOPLE WITH SEVERE COPD – WHAT DOES THE EVIDENCE SHOW

Held on: Thursday 2nd November 2023

Presented by: DR AMANDA LANDERS, MBChB FRACP – Head of Department, Te Tari Whaiora/Department of Medicine, Christchurch

In this webinar Amanda will discuss:
• The quality improvement cycles that focus on cost-effectiveness, efficiency and engagement to allow large-scale change to improve health outcomes
• The relationships, pathways, protocols and decisions in play for people with end-of-life COPD, their support people and health professionals

INTEGRATING CLINICAL AROMATHERAPY IN PALLIATIVE CARE

Held on: Thursday 5th October 2023

Presented by: Carol Rose, RN – North Haven Hospice Whangarei, BSC (HONS) in Palliative Nursing, Clinical Aromatherapist, Educator, Author

In this presentation Carol will discuss:
• The evidence supporting the use of aromatherapy within palliative care, including who drives this and the global perspective
• The main ‘tools of the trade’, predominantly essential oils; how their biological actions within the body are determined and various appropriate applications through clinical case studies
• Ways in which aromatherapy can bridge gaps that exist in healthcare, with an emphasis on patient and relationship-centred care
• The importance of the holistic principles

MAURI MATE: A MĀORI PALLIATIVE CARE FRAMEWORK

Held on: Thursday 7th September 2023

Presented by: Tina Parata, Parata Consulting

Tina is passionate about improving health outcomes for Maori and Pasifika and this webinar will discuss:

Mauri Mate – a roadmap to improved patient and whanau experience when accessing Palliative Care. It provides a guide for all palliative care providers to deliver services that are culturally appropriate and maintain the mana of Turoro Maori (patients), whanau/caregivers and kaimahi Maori (Maori staff) who engage with hospice or other palliative care providers.

GI SYMPTOMS & BOWEL OBSTRUCTION IN PALLIATIVE CARE

Held on: Thursday 3rd August 2023

Presented by: Professor Katherine Clark, MBBS MMed (pain) PhD FRACP, FAChPM

This presentation will discuss:

• The pathophysiology, assessment, and management of the more common gastrointestinal symptoms in serious illness with the aim of summarising approaches to clinical management
• Impact on quality of life, morbidity and mortality.

RESILIENT GRIEVING COPING WITH TRAGEDY, LOSS, & GRIEF – LESSONS FROM SCIENCE AND LIFE

Held on: Thursday 6th July, 2023

Presented by: Dr Lucy Hone | Dr Denise Quinlan

About the presentation:
Evidence-based strategies for looking after yourself, as well as those you work with and support. Known for their highly practical approach, humour and warmth, we know you’ll enjoy this session on resilience and resilient grieving, and come away with tools you can use immediately.

Spiritual Care – is Hospice leading the way?

Held on: Thursday 1st June, 2023

Presented by: A/Professor Richard Egan, Department of Preventive & Social Medicine, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago     

About this presentation:
Nurturing the spiritual well-being of healthcare staff is crucial as it has a direct impact on patients and their families. In hospice and palliative care, spirituality is explicitly acknowledged and included as a vital aspect of care. However, there is a risk that spirituality can be reduced to a mere checkbox exercise, which can lead to spiritual distress for both patients and staff. What if we viewed our work, policies, procedures, and interactions through a spiritual lens?

DIGNITY IN PALLIATIVE CARE

Held on: Thursday 4 May, 2023

Presented by: A/PROFESSOR MEGAN BEST,    Assoc. Prof. of Bioethics, University of Notre Dame, Australia. Hon. Assoc. Prof. Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney.

About this presentation:
Dignity is important for patients at the end of life. In this lecture, Dr Best will discuss conceptualisations of dignity and its relationship to dying. She will describe what defines dignity, and how it can be upheld in palliative care practice.

PALLIATIVE CARE FOR PATIENTS AND FAMILIES AFFECTED BY NEUROLOGICAL DISEASE
– WHERE ARE WE NOW?

Held on: Thursday 6 April, 2023

Presented by: PROFESSOR DAVID OLIVER, Consultant Physician in Palliative Medicine (retired)

This presentation considers the role of palliative care in the care of people with neurological disease – care provided at all levels, primary care, neurology teams and specialist palliative care. The development of collaboration across all areas and involvement in multidisciplinary teams should enable the palliative care approach throughout the disease progression to be more widely available, and patients and families to have an improved quality of life and quality of dying.

THE CHILDREN’S PALLIATIVE CARE INITIATIVE

Held on: Thursday 2 March, 2023

Presented by: DR. MEGAN DOHERTY, Paediatric Palliative Director – South Asia, Two Worlds Cancer, Program Director, Palliative Care, Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa

Dr. Doherty will discuss palliative care for children, including the common conditions and trajectories for children with serious illnesses. She will discuss best practices in communication with children and their caregivers.

TOO FEW AND TOO FAR – The need to grow Māori Leadership in the Hospice Sector

Held on: Thursday 2 February, 2023

Presented by: VANESSA ELDRIDGE – Director Health Equity at Mary Potter Hospice, Wellington

Vanessa will share Mary Potter Hospice’s Capability Framework for Cultural Liaisons. She will share insights from kaimahi Maori with a view to understanding how we might attract and further foster this workforce.

Tamariki and Rangatahi’s grief is everyone’s business

Held on: Thursday 1 December, 2022

Presented by: Dr. Amanda Evans, Paediatric Palliative Care Specialist, Mary Potter Hospice

Dr Amanda Evans is a Paediatric Palliative Care Specialist working at Mary Potter Hospice caring for both paediatric and adult patients. She is a leader in paediatric palliative care in Aotearoa being on the executive of ANZSPM representing paediatrics.

Living & Dying on the Streets

Palliative Care for People Experiencing Homelessness and Structural Vulnerability

Held on: Thursday 3rd November 2022

Presented by: Dr. Naheed Dosani MSC, MD, CCFP(PC), BSc – Palliative care physician & health justice advocate. St Michael’s Hospital, Unity Health Toronto.

After a transformative experience providing care to a Toronto homeless man, Dr. Dosani was motivated to develop Palliative Education And Care for the Homeless (PEACH). The PEACH program delivers community-based hospice palliative care to society’s most vulnerable individuals regardless of their housing status or factors such as poverty or substance use. PEACH brings housing, mental health and healthcare providers together to plan an individual’s care while recognizing, but not judging, a person’s circumstances.

Tender conversations

Held on: Thursday 6th October 2022

Presented by: Dr Kathryn Mannix, Palliative Care Physician (Retired) and Best-selling author

We all probably have a conversation we’re avoiding. It’s important, but it feels tricky. Often, we feel daunted by the strong emotions involved. We’re not sure how to begin, or whether we should try to. ‘Tender Conversations’ will consider the principles that help us to open, begin, continue and finish these important yet daunting conversations in a way that is helpful and safe.

The Kōwhai Programme and the Ending Life Well Podcast

Held on: Thursday 1st September 2022

Presented by: Denise van Aalst – RN, MHealSc (PC) Kowhai Coordinator, Otago Community Hospice

Topics Include:

• The research that underpinned the family and whānau carer programme
• The development of the Kōwhai Programme
• Evolution of Kōwhai to rural areas, and through Covid
• Ending Life Well Podcast – Why, What, How

Understanding LGBTQ+ Community Wishes For Palliative Care

Held on: Thursday 5th May 2022

Presented by: NICK ROBERTS – MPH MHM Senior Policy Officer in the Health and Social Policy Branch of the NSW Ministry of Health (Australia)

Nick will explain how LGBTQ+ people may experience poorer health outcomes, and present some of the international evidence relating to palliative care with LGBTQ+ people. He will provide an overview of his research to investigate palliative care with LGBTQ+ people in NSW, including key findings and implications from this research, including for services in New Zealand. These include steps that clinicians and services can take for services to become more inclusive and affirming of  people with diverse sexualities and genders. He will also introduce participants to the new Palliative Care toolkit developed by ACON to build the palliative care literacy in LGBTQ+ communities.