The project In Good Hands aimed to improve the quality of palliative care by strengthening the competencies of professionals and informal carers. A key objective was to promote a more holistic approach to care, addressing not only physical needs but also psychological, social, and ethical dimensions, as well as communication with patients and families. The project also aimed to facilitate the exchange of good practices between France and Czechia, allowing partners to learn from different care systems and identify transferable approaches. Another objective was to develop practical and accessible training resources that could be used for both professional training and self-learning. Finally, the project sought to build organisational capacity and establish sustainable cooperation between partners, ensuring that the results would continue to be used and further developed beyond the project duration.
The project In Good Hands was developed in response to identified gaps in palliative care practices in France and Czechia. Care providers increasingly support elderly people in advanced stages of illness, yet staff are often better prepared for physical care than for addressing psychological, social, and ethical aspects, as well as communication with families. Both partners also identified a need to strengthen non-medical approaches focused on dignity, emotional support, and quality of life. In addition, there was a lack of accessible and practical training resources suitable for both professionals and informal carers. The project addressed these needs through the exchange of practices, the development of a structured training module, and the upskilling of staff. It also responded to the need for stronger European cooperation and capacity building within the partner organisations.