The course is facilitated by Helen Smith, Nurse Consultant in Palliative Care at St Luke’s, and Connor Browne, Lead for Learning & Development at St Luke’s.

With over 20 years in palliative care, Helen has supported both paediatric and adult patients across community and hospice settings, gaining deep expertise in complex, compassionate care.She spent three years in Romania working with children and young people living with HIV/AIDS, broadening her skills in supporting vulnerable populations. A Queen’s Nurse since 2015, Helen leads St Luke’s transition programme, ensuring smooth care pathways from paediatric to adult services. She also drives initiatives to improve palliative care for homeless individuals in Sheffield, working closely with local support services. Alongside clinical work, Helen is a Principal Investigator supporting national research projects looking at ways to support homeless people with palliative care needs and, delivers training to raise awareness of the unique needs of marginalised groups.

Connor qualified as a nurse in 2012 and has over 10 years’ experience in specialist palliative care across community and inpatient settings. His clinical background underpins a strong commitment to person-centred care. Passionate about education, he is completing an MSc in Clinical Education, with a focus on interprofessional learning. For the past four years, Connor has led Learning & Development at St Luke’s, driving workforce development through clinical skills programmes and collaborative training initiatives. Blending clinical expertise with educational leadership, Connor promotes a culture of continuous learning, ensuring staff are equipped to deliver high-quality care across the hospice and wider health system.

Together, Helen and Connor bring a wealth of clinical, educational and leadership expertise, creating an engaging and supportive learning environment for professionals seeking to enhance their confidence and capability in palliative care.