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Advanced Communication Skills Training (ACST)
Introduction
Communication sits at the heart of high quality care, especially when conversations are complex, sensitive or emotionally challenging.
Whether we’re supporting people at the end of life, navigating uncertainty or helping families make difficult decisions, how we communicate can make a lasting difference to people’s experiences.
Our ACST programme is designed to support healthcare professionals to feel more confident, compassionate and skilled in these conversations.
Session Overview
This two-day course is designed for experienced professionals to help you develop the insight and practical skills needed to approach complex and challenging conversations with compassion, authenticity and empathy.
Through role-play, you will build confidence in using facilitative communication techniques to explore concerns, deepen understanding and ensure people feel truly heard.
You will also strengthen your ability to demonstrate empathy through active listening and responding to emotional cues, while learning how to guide conversations forward, agree next steps and involve the multidisciplinary team appropriately when needed.
It is advised that if you have experienced a close bereavement within the last 12 months, it is advisable that you do not apply for this course.
Role Play
We offer two role play approaches to support different learning preferences and levels of experience.
Actor supported role play (ASRP) for those who want to explore complex, ethically or morally challenging conversations. Suitable for GPs, senior clinicians, specialist nurses, and registered nurses in palliative and end of life care settings.
Peer to Peer role play (PPRP) where people work together to practice conversations in a supportive and collaborative environment for those who prefer to learn with colleagues, share experiences and build confidence together. Suitable for HCAs, nurses in general medicine settings.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, you will have developed the insight and skills through role-play to understand:
- Why communicating with compassion, authenticity, and empathy is critical in complex and challenging conversations
- How to use facilitative skills to explore concerns, deepen understanding, and help people feel genuinely heard
- How to demonstrate empathy through skilled active listening, responding to cues, and acknowledging emotions
- How to move conversations forward by negotiating next steps and recognising when to appropriately involve or refer to members of the multidisciplinary team (MDT)
Details
- Length: 2 days
- Suitable for: Senior and experienced health care professionals
- Delivered: face to face at the End of Life Care Education Hub, Spring Farm Business Centre, Moss Lane, Minshull Vernon, Crewe, CW1 4RJ or Online
- Places: There is a limited number of fully funded places for those working in Cheshire East.
Cost
- Funded: Fully funded for those working in Cheshire East. People working outside Cheshire East are welcome at a cost.
- Cost: £650 per person.
Dates
Please note that we have a limited number of fully funded places for Cheshire East staff available.
- Thursday 30 July & Friday 31 July 2026, Online via Microsoft Teams (PPRP)
- Thursday 20 August & Friday 21 August 2026, face to face, End of Life Education Hub, Crewe (PPRP)
- Monday 21 September and Tuesday 22 September 2026, face to face, End of Life Education Hub, Crewe (ASRP)
- Tuesday 20 October & Wednesday 21 October 2026, Online via Microsoft Teams (PPRP)
To Book
You are required to apply for a place on this course. Please download the application form and email it to info@eolp.org.uk.