CoMPaSs (Communicating Medicine within Palliative Situations)
Course description
Building confidence in end oflife conversations.
CoMPaSs is a one-day simulation course designed to develop high quality communication skills around death and dying in a range of medical settings. This low fidelity simulation course, consists of a faculty and candidate handbook and a library of realistic cases encompassing all aspects of the conversations which may need to be instigated for patients within their last year of life in an Acute Hospital Setting.
Using experiential end of life scenarios, participants work in pairs through six supported simulations (do 3, see 3) with trained facilitators and lived experience patient actors. The course focuses on situational learning and reflection, with feedback delivered through a supportive learning conversation model.
Originally developed for IMT1 & IMT2, CoMPaSs is equally valuable for Resident Doctors across specialties, International Medical Graduates, and Speciality Associate Specialist (SAS) Doctors. Pre course materials refresh clinical knowledge so the day can focus entirely on communication. CoMPaSs has been developed to completely encompass CiP8 of the IMT curriculum and also links as evidence to the other 7 CiPs. It also maps to the ACCS, anaesthetic and CST curriculums and provides evidence for GMC Good guide outcomes.
The course had been delivered via the Yorkshire & Humber Deanery for the past five years and feedback has been 100% excellent from attendees with proven confidence gains.
CoMPaSs was originally developed and overseen by Dr Gemma Lee and Dr Sam Kyeremateng in 2019 as part of the 2019 IMT curriculum review.
Communicate with clarity, compassion and confidence - when it matters most.
Course benefits
• Highly valued for PACES (MRCP) preparation
• Endorsed by the Head of School of Medicine, Yorkshire & Humber
• Will positively affect both clinical skills and patient outcomes
Course facilitators
The course is developed and overseen by Dr Gemma Lee and Dr Sam Kyeremateng.
Dr Gemma Lee is an Intensive Care Consultant and experienced medical educator with over 15 years of teaching experience and 6 years in curriculum development, supported by a PGCME. After completing the Future Leaders Programme, Dr Lee contributed nationally to the design of learning pathways for the Internal Medicine Training (IMT) curriculum. She is currently Director of Clinical Assessment at Lancaster University Medical School, leading the development of robust, high quality assessment strategies.
Dr Lee has a strong portfolio of educational scholarship, with multiple publications and two of the highest rated IMT courses in the Yorkshire and Humber Deanery. She is the course designer for CoMPaSs and BEACON, an ALS, ATLS, CRISP and IMPACT instructor, and is committed to mentoring and widening participation, supporting students from underrepresented backgrounds into healthcare careers.
Dr Sam Kyeremateng is the Medical Director & Clinical Lead for Programme Development at St Luke’s Hospice, Sheffield.
Originally from Dundee, Sam completed his initial medical training in Aberdeen in 1998. He moved to Sheffield in 1999 and began working in palliative medicine in 2002. Sam has been a Consultant at St Luke’s since 2008 and became St Luke’s Medical Director in 2013 and Responsible Officer in 2014. His role was further expanded in 2018, to reflect his role leading the development of new and innovative clinical services at St Luke’s. Sam is the Executive Lead at St Luke’s for The St Luke’s Wilkes Institute. Sam is a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.
Sam has held clinical leadership and advisory roles in NHS England regionally and nationally including Training Programme Director for Palliative Medicine in Yorkshire and Humber Deanery from 2018 to 2023, and most recently has been the Clinical Lead for Palliative and End of Life Care for NHSE North East and Yorkshire Region and a National Clinical Advisor to NHS England on Palliative Medicine Workforce.
Sam was appointed as a Trustee of Hospice UK in January 2025.
Payment terms
All course fees must be paid prior to attendance. Standard payment terms are 30 days from the date of invoice, or before the start of the course if the course date falls sooner.
Cancellation Policy
Please note that once a booking has been made and payment received, course fees are non-refundable.
KEY INFORMATION
Suitable for:
- Internal medicine trainees
- Core surgical training Trainees
- International Medical graduates of all UK experience levels particularly new to UK
- Core anaesthetic/ACCS trainees
- Foundation year 2 doctors
- Staff grade doctors
- Junior clinical fellows
Course type:
Face to face
Delivery mode:
Classroom
Location:
St Luke's Ecclesall Road South Site,
Ecclesall Road South,
Sheffield, S11 9PX
Duration:
1 Day/ 7 hours (9am - 4pm
CPD credits:
Currently under review by The Royal College of Physicians
Cost:
£275 per person.
Catering facilities:
Lunch included in course fees.
Application status:
Available dates:
Our courses
Read more about the courses we have available by visiting the main Wilkes webpage below. To speak to us about partnering on a new course, or support with course delivery please email wilkes@hospicesheffield.co.uk
Education and CoursesContact us
To get in touch about the St Luke's Wilkes Institute, speak to us about partnering on a new course, or to support with course delivery, please email us at wilkes@hospicesheffield.co.uk
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