School of Healthcare Sciences supports inaugural Ty Hafan conference

School of Healthcare Sciences staff, students and associates presented papers at at the first Tŷ Hafan Children's Hospice research and innovation conference, which took place at the Vale Resort on the 14th of October 2014.

Around 50 people attended Tŷ Hafan's inaugural research and innovation conference, which focused on research into the care of children and young people with life limiting and life threatening conditions.

Professor Daniel Kelly, the School's Director of Research and lead for the Innovation, Improvement and Engagement theme, presented findings from an ethnographic study in a paediatric oncology ward and highlighted coping mechanisms and emotional control among children and their parents.

Jane Davies, PhD student and Senior Lecturer at the School of Healthcare Sciences, also discussed her doctoral research on decision making in teenagers and young adults.

Dr Mia Nelson, Research Fellow at the University of Edinburgh, presented an associated study on transition from active to palliative care in paediatric oncology.

Mandy Brimble, Lead Practitioner for Education and Research at Ty Hafan and Professional Doctoral Student at the School of Healthcare Sciences presented an evaluation of the Ty Hafan fathers' support group. (Together with Hannah Williams, Tŷ Hafan's Care Services Team Leader)

Other presentations included the ethics of researching and 'experimenting' on children in scientific research RCTs by Richard Hein, Consultant and Lead Clinician in Paediatric Palliative Medicine; and transition to adult palliative care by Aaron Wyn Pritchard, Research Support Officer at Bangor University.

Tŷ Hafan is one of the UK's leading paediatric palliative care charities and offers the only children's hospice service in south Wales. For further information please visit their website.