The chief executive from a children’s hospice joined 250 experts from 32 countries for the first ever global conference on children’s palliative care.

Peter Ellis, from Richard House Children’s Hospice took part in the International Children’s Palliative Care Conference in Mumbai, India. The event was run by the International Children’s Palliative Care Network, an organisation he helped form a decade ago.

The conference aimed to address the global challenge of poor physical, emotional and spiritual care of children with life-limiting conditions. The theme was ‘transforming children’s palliative care’ – from ideas to action.

The conference brought together palliative care experts and professionals from other hospices, doctors, nurses and social workers, all in a country of 1.2 billion people but with only one emerging children’s hospice.

The conference focused on developing people who will become “champions” in their own regions to advocate for children and their families. It is hoped that this global initiative will build capacity in people to create a child friendly environment and to be a voice for life-limited children all over the world.

Peter Ellis said: “It was a really positive experience in a remarkable country. The conference and trip will help, particularly when thinking about community networks in the boroughs we serve. It was great to be part of the first International Children’s Palliative Care Conference, and the growth in awareness about the issue of children’s palliative care is clear to see.”

Peter also spent time in Kerala, southern India, finding out more about the Network Neighbourhood programme for palliative care at the Institute of Palliative Medicine.