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In
June 2006 there was an innovative collaboration in education between
Croatia and the UK. The Kent Institute of Medicine and Health Sciences
at the University of Kent has been involved in palliative care education
in Croatia for over five years and in 2006 there have been two new developments:
• An undergraduate module on palliative care has been held at
the Medical Faculty of the University of Zagreb, with the support of
the Dean, Professor Nada Cikes, and Professor Davor Jezek. Tutors from
Kent, together with local Croatian teachers, have provided an elective
course for 12 students on the English Medical Course at the Faculty.
• A postgraduate course was also held for 15 health and social
care professionals from throughout Croatia and Slovenia. Four tutors
from Kent, led by Dr David Oliver, ran an introductory module on palliative
care. It is hoped to continue this course with a further module in Croatia
in 2007, supported by distance learning, so that the successful students
will gain a Postgraduate Certificate in Palliative Care from the University
of Kent.
These
courses will support the development of palliative care services in
Croatia. Since 1994 the Croatian Society for Hospice / Palliative care
has been encouraging palliative care but at the present time there is
only one volunteer groups in Zagreb, offering care and support to patients,
and two other groups developing services in other parts of Croatia.
There are plans to develop services more widely throughout Croatia.
Professor
Anica Jusic, President of the Croatian Society
(
EAPC
Collective member)
spoke of the future: “These courses will help to establish palliative
care within medical training and the community. We hope that by education
we will be able to develop services further. There will be a group of
professionals with a greater understanding and knowledge of palliative
care to support these new services”
Further
information
Professor
Anica Jusic
Anica.jusic@zg.htnet.hr
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