<![CDATA[PAEDIATRIC INNOVATION, EDUCATION & RESEARCH NETWORK

<![CDATA[PAEDIATRIC INNOVATION, EDUCATION & RESEARCH NETWORK - News & Updates]]>Fri, 10 Apr 2026 14:45:21 +0100Weebly<![CDATA[Spring Newsletter 2026]]>Mon, 16 Mar 2026 08:57:40 GMThttps://www.piernetwork.org/news/spring-newsletter-2026

]]><![CDATA[The Spring 2025 Newsletter is here!]]>Fri, 18 Apr 2025 14:00:10 GMThttps://www.piernetwork.org/news/the-spring-2025-newsletter-is-hereThe latest newsletter is now available, highlighting some exciting education coming up in the region and other news.

You can access the newsletter by clicking here!]]><![CDATA[New 15 Minute Consultation from ADC - Should I get my child the varicella vaccine?]]>Tue, 04 Mar 2025 17:32:33 GMThttps://www.piernetwork.org/news/new-15-minute-consultation-from-adc-should-i-get-my-child-the-varicella-vaccine

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has recently recommended the introduction of the varicella (chickenpox) vaccine into the UK’s routine childhood immunisation schedule. This article is useful for all paediatricians to provide an overview of the evidence behind the decision and address any anticipated questions from families.

You can access the article by clicking on the image or by clicking here

]]><![CDATA[NEW SORT PICU App available now]]>Thu, 27 Feb 2025 16:26:56 GMThttps://www.piernetwork.org/news/new-sort-picu-app-available-now

Following three years of development, testing and MHRA approval, SORT are pleased to now be able to make the SORT app available for download on Apple devices. This app provides all the immediate access to paediatric critical care information that you know from the SORT website, but in a more accessible and offline format.

Download the app by clicking here...

]]><![CDATA[New Education Page]]>Thu, 30 Jan 2025 13:03:11 GMThttps://www.piernetwork.org/news/new-education-pageIn response to feedback from our recent website survey, we are pleased to introduce our new Education page design. This should make it easier for you to see upcoming study days hosted by PIER and to book them directly, all from one page. You can also then save these events straight into your own personal calendars.

We hope this is a welcome addition to the site. Please let us know if you have any requested changes.
]]><![CDATA[PIER2024 presentations & posters available to view]]>Mon, 14 Oct 2024 09:52:18 GMThttps://www.piernetwork.org/news/pier2024-presentations-posters-available-to-view

The PIER Conference has finished for another successful year. We had a very interesting selection of plenary sessions and workshops, along with some brilliant poster presentations, which hopefully gave every one of our 250 attendees something to take home with them.

All the presentations and posters are now available to view on the Conference pages, so please do have a look at your leisure.

We are very excited to see you all again in October 2025 for our 10th anniversary of PIER and the PIER Conference. We have some exciting things planned, which we will let you know more about in the New Year...

]]><![CDATA[New Study Day - MAST Conference]]>Tue, 17 Sep 2024 10:49:09 GMThttps://www.piernetwork.org/news/new-study-day-mast-conferenceMake The Airway Safe Team Annual Conference

Study day for doctors, nurses and ODPs, from anaesthetics, ITU, ENT, paediatrics, neonates, ED about safely managing a difficult airway in a child.

Book via this link - https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/thames-valley-wessex-paediatric-operational-delivery-network/mast-conference-2025/2025-02-28/08:45/t-modlyxv

]]><![CDATA[Education update for WCYAPCN]]>Thu, 16 May 2024 13:03:03 GMThttps://www.piernetwork.org/news/education-update-for-wcyapcnI am keen to update you on some exciting education opportunities coming up for the region, both within the Wessex Children’s & Young Adults Palliative Care Network, and from the Strategic Clinical Networks across the South West and South East. I have listed these below. Due to holidays and faculty availability we have had to move our quarterly forum meeting to 6th June and the next Journal club to 17th July. There are still spaces for the foundation study day and ACP training days in September booked via our PIER site here https://www.piernetwork.org/wcyapcn.html.

Please see the email further below pertaining to the wider education approach being developed between the South West and South East teams. This will form the backdrop for the work we do in Wessex. Our training in Wessex will aim to focus on the practical and locally relevant aspects of the South of England approach. Please do make use of these resources as they will only be available whilst funding lasts! For information I have updated the WCYAPCN terms of reference, proposal and education and training strategy documents all attached.

Very best wishes

Tim

WCYAPCN dates for the diary and training opportunities:

NEW DATE 6TH JUNE 1-2.30PM: Network forum meeting – focus on pain in children with severe neurological impairment. Following on from our case study of Elisa, Dr Warlow will be discussing pain in children with severe neurological impairment, how to assess it, manage it and important considerations working with children and families to improve quality of life. Join us following this teams link below. Find out more on our network education page here… https://www.piernetwork.org/wcyapcn.html

Click here to join the meeting
Meeting ID: 338 699 599 995
Passcode: RQRNcc

NEW DATE 17th July: Journal Club – join us on a Wednesday lunchtime in June to consider a recently published article addressing a topic of interest within palliative care. This session is kindly hosted by the Wessex Oncology Education Network and can be joined using the link below. More information on the article and topic can be found on our education page nearer the time, here… https://www.piernetwork.org/wcyapcn.html

Please find the to the journal club session here:-Join Microsoft Teams Meeting

13th September 2024: Paediatric Palliative Care Foundation Study Day at University Hospitals Southampton – Back following a hugely successful day earlier in the year. This study day is for nurses based on wards/in hospices/in the community who want to explore many aspects of palliative care they will come across in their roles. Sessions include content on the following: Breaking bad news, Advanced Care Plans, Symptom Management Plan, Use of syringe drivers, Non-pharmacological pain management, Care of a child after death, Use of the mortuary, Bereavement support. Booking is open now! … https://www.piernetwork.org/wcyapcn.html

25th September 2024: Advance Care Planning Study Day. Back by popular demand this day introduces version 5 of the Children’s & Young Person’s Advance Care Plan Version 5 with an opportunity to learn about how to align with families for advance care planning conversations, how to approach introducing palliative care, and how to use your best communication skills to navigate these difficult discussions. Learn from each other and our experienced faculty in small groups. Booking is open. https://www.piernetwork.org/wcyapcn.html

Wider South of England and National opportunities:

Neonatal training program – introduction and enhanced:
Alex Mancini (national lead for Neonatal Palliative Care) recently presented the output from a 3 year project on Neonatal Palliative Care. This includes two fantastic online resources. The first is an ‘introduction course’, the second is an ‘enhanced’ course. Information can be found on the two courses here: Home | International Children's Palliative Care Network: elearning (elearnicpcn.org). These are interaction rich courses and will be an excellent opportunity for staff as neonates make up a greater proportion of the PEoLC work moving forwards.

Masterclasses
The South West team are offering a range of training courses and forum gatherings to learn and share. These are very high quality training days and applicable across the region. See information in the email below and attachments.

Moodle Platform
Many of you I have had the pleasure of ‘seeing’ on the Opioids course, hosted on the moodle platform. This is being expanded to exclude some new and exciting modules from advance care planning, syringe driver training, verification of death and more. Based on the opioids course, this is extremely well put together and helps staff to meet their mandatory training requirements as well as palliative care competencies. More information to come soon.

Email from South of England Team:

As part of our South of England Education offer for our combined Paediatric Palliative Care (PPC) workforce funded as a region, I am pleased to report an anticipated launch date of June 24’ for our online virtual platform; all details on how to join the modules will be shared at this time.

To meet all learning styles and to compliment the online presence we are also offering a comprehensive programme of in person masterclasses covered in the attached document. This was previously shared with you at the start of this month; therefore, some dates have now taken place but many remain and our event day has since been postponed however we plan to re-engage with you all on our next steps surrounding this event soon.

A gentle reminder that these masterclasses are available to our regional and neighbouring workforce, currently these are the only dates we are able to offer the face-to-face element of the training strategy; we would therefore actively encourage applications as soon as possible to secure a place.

Drawing your attention to the Masterclass in Advanced Communication Skills on complex decision making and ethics in paediatric palliative care taking place next Thursday in Bristol, details of this day attached above; to secure your place please click here; CLICK HERE

Please can I ask for your support in the dissemination of these documents to enable them to land with our systems and onto our teams on the ground; we have also made sure we have circulated via our clinical contact lists available to us at region.

If you have any questions on above, please come back to me and I look forward to providing an update on our launch in June to support our combined investment to our incredible paediatric palliative care workforce.

]]><![CDATA[SONeT Transport Study Day]]>Thu, 09 May 2024 10:48:09 GMThttps://www.piernetwork.org/news/sonet-transport-study-day

We would like to invite you to a practical SONeT transport study day, which will include:

Hands-on experience in the ambulance
Simulation scenarios for common neonatal emergencies
Emergency procedures
Human factors

Date
Wednesday 19th June 2024 9am-4pm

Where
Princess Anne Hospital, Southampton

Aimed at QIS neonatal nurses, ANNPs and registrars involved in the care or transfer of neonates within Wessex

Cost
Free (lunch not included)

Attendance is limited to 30 participants. Any additional registrations will be held on a waiting list.

Please share with anyone in your team who may be interested!

To sign up, please use this link: https://forms.office.com/e/pq8GM0RsYr

]]><![CDATA[PIER 2024 tickets now on sale & Abstract submission open]]>Sun, 05 May 2024 09:38:57 GMThttps://www.piernetwork.org/news/pier-2024-tickets-now-on-sale-abstract-submission-open

We're pleased to open the early bird ticket sales for PIER2024, taking place on 8th and 9th October at Hope Church in Winchester. Our provisional programme can be seen below, with the full daily programmes coming later this week. Don't forget that single day tickets are not allocated to a specific day (although we will ask for a suggested preference in the booking form) so get yours now and then pick a day when the full programme is released. Early bird pricing ends on 2nd September (but either way, we still think we are the cheapest general paediatric conference you can find in the UK!)

Abstract submissions are also now open, so start thinking about any work which you have been involved with which needs to be shared widely throughout the region and beyond. We have had some brilliant submissions from all members of the MDT in the past few years, and we know this year will be no exception!

All information about the conference, booking tickets, pricing, abstract submissions and more is available on the conference website. Just click below...

PIER2024

]]>