2026 PACED Communication School Recap

PACED Communication School

4–6 November, Tashkent, Uzbekistan

From 4 to 6 November 2026, the Communications School took place in Tashkent, organised by PACED with support from the Palliative and Hospice Care Association of Uzbekistan. The event brought together leading specialists — practising physicians, psychologists, nurses, social workers, and palliative care coordinators — with over 60 participants and experts from 10 countries: Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, Georgia, Latvia, Serbia, Poland, the UK, and Germany. The focal theme of the event was effective communication in palliative care, which can and should be regarded as the foundation of high-quality care.

Focus and Depth: From Theory to Empathy

Speaking at the School’s opening, Akbar Jalilov, an adviser to Uzbekistan’s Minister of Health, emphasised that listening carefully, asking questions sensitively and explaining complex information in plain language are skills we can learn. He also discussed expanding mobile palliative care teams so more patients can receive care at home.

Adviser to the Minister Elmira Basitkhanova shared the story of Taskin, Uzbekistan’s first children’s hospice. She spoke about how everyday conversations build trust between families and care teams, and why it matters to give parents time to ask questions and children a chance to be heard.

Words are our most powerful medical instrument.

Modern palliative care has long extended beyond the boundaries of medicine. As Dr Ros Taylor MBE, Medical Director of Harlington Hospice and Michael Sobell House (UK), emphasised, in the face of life-limiting illnesses, ‘words are our most powerful medical instrument.’ A patient's quality of life, and that of their family, depends directly on the professionalism, openness, and sensitivity of the dialogue.

The educational programme was built on the principles of a multidisciplinary approach and covered the most critical aspects of interaction in palliative care:

Clinical communications and difficult conversations: Participants analysed a three-tiered approach to healthcare, mastered algorithms for delivering bad news sensitively, and learned to tackle professional burnout when facing patients' existential crises.
Working with family and carers: Particular attention was paid to identifying relatives' hidden needs, supporting loved ones through bereavement, and exploring methods of psychological support for the specialists themselves.
Protocols and tools: Experts presented modern approaches to Advance Care Planning and discussed integrating unique methodologies (including the principles of DIR/Floortime®) into work with palliative patients and their families.
Dialogue with society and the state: Separate sessions focused on reducing stigma associated with the term ‘hospice’, building transparent communication with the media, and engaging effectively with government structures to support the systemic development of palliative care.

The programme also featured interactive workshops, practical laboratories, in-depth clinical case reviews, and site visits to hospices in Tashkent.

Communication as Process and Result

One of the core values of all PACED schools is their international dimension. By bringing together specialists from across the world, we strive to create a space for cultural, professional, and human enrichment.

The Communications School’s main breakthroughs occurred not only during the sessions but also in the breaks between them. Welcoming Tashkent brought together specialists from different countries: they speak the same professional language and face similar challenges, yet each brings a unique development path and personal experience. In an informal setting—over a cup of coffee or a shared dinner—participants shared their experiences, discussed pressing issues, and simply supported one another. Such lively interaction helped relieve accumulated fatigue and reminded everyone that a reliable community stands behind them.

Symbolically, communication at the School went beyond the schedule, becoming the main outcome of the entire event.

Inspiration and a Look into the Future

Trust is built from a multitude of small, honest contacts, from every single conversation.

The 2026 PACED Communications School concluded on a high note, awarding participants not only certificates, knowledge, and impressions, but also a powerful surge of inner energy.

‘Trust is built from a multitude of small, honest contacts, from every single conversation’—participants experienced this firsthand and carried it with them to build trust in hospices, palliative wards, government offices, and across society as a whole.

We thank our sponsors, InfaPrim and STM Pharma (Enterosgel), for helping us organise the 2026 PACED Communication School.

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