Specific skills are required to ensure that case conferences are effective. The skills required to facilitate discussion and communicate effectively with family can be learnt. This section contains information and links to further develop the skills and competencies required to conduct a case conference.

The Case Conference Facilitator

This role can be shared amongst multiple staff; however, it is important that the people responsible have the support and necessary skills. Appointing someone from within a unit or aged care facility and allocating them time to fulfill this role can ensure case conferencing becomes embedded.The case conference facilitators’ role is to;

• Identify important decision-makers and invite these to case conferences.
• Set the agenda for case conferences based on input from participants.
• Facilitate the case conferences to ensure agenda items are covered, including discussion of prognosis and planning of end of life care where appropriate.
• Maintain records of case conferences and palliative care plans.
• Train and mentor facility nursing staff in organising and running case conferences.

Further information on the key competencies of case conference facilitator (194kb pdf) is available, as well as information on the role of the chair in encouraging participation and agreeing on a plan of care.

Last updated 08 December 2015