Perinatal Palliative Care 3-month Certificate Course 2025

What will be included in the course?

The course offers a guided virtual learning experience which will include:

  • Interactive online learning modules

  • Webinars, online meetings, and forum discussions

  • Completion of a marked assignment

  • Copy of our book on Perinatal Palliative Care

  • Certificate of completion

  • CPD Points from the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa

Course content will include:

  • Key principles of paediatric, perinatal, and neonatal palliative care
  • Compassionate communication and holding difficult conversations
  • Ethics & shared decision making
  • Psychosocial and spiritual care for families and babies before birth, at the time of birth, and after birth
  • Physical care of the mother and baby at the time of birth
  • Pain and symptom management for the newborn baby
  • Memory & legacy making
  • Bereavement support for families after the death of a baby

Learn more about the 3-month course

Patch Academy is offering a 3-month long ONLINE comprehensive certificate course on PERINTATAL PALLIATIVE CARE to run from 1 August – 31 October 2025.

Who should do the course?
The course is appropriate for and open to all those who care for pregnant mothers and their newborn infants. This could include but is not restricted to doctors, OBGYNs, midwives, nurses, sonographers, genetic counsellors, therapists, etc.

What prior learning is required?
No prior degree or diploma is required but the course does require reasonable academic ability and proficiency in English as well as a degree of computer literacy. We will be there to support you through any challenges you may have as you work through the course.

How long will the course take to complete?
The course will take 3 months to complete and will run from 1 August – 31 October 2025. We estimate that you will need to spend approx. 4-5 hours a week over the duration of the 3-months on required course activities.

Who will be coordinating the course?
The course will be coordinated by PatchSA’s Education & Training Manager, Tracy Rawlins.

What will I receive at the end of the course?
You will earn a certificate of completion at the end of the course endorsed by Patch Academy. While it is not an accredited course with any institute of learning, all of the online courses you will complete are accredited for CPD points with the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa (CMSA)

What are the course requirements?
In order to complete this course, it is essential that you have:

  • A strong desire to learn about perinatal palliative care including both clinical and psychosocial aspects of care
  • The willingness to make the time and a commitment to the completion of the course over the 3-month period
  • Regular and reliable access to a computer, the internet and sufficient data to complete online courses and attend webinars
  • A keenness to interact with and learn from fellow participants and engage in online forums.

Do I have to be resident in South Africa to take this course?
No. While the course is aimed primarily at a South African audience, the course is open to people living in countries within sub–Saharan Africa and around the world. We welcome international students.

How much does the course cost?
The course costs R3000 and includes:

  • Access to the online course
  • Attendance at 2 webinars where members of the Patch Academy Training Team and invited guests will share their knowledge and expertise
  • Personalised responses to assignments
  • Regular reminders and progress reports on where you are at during the course
  • Access to one-on-one assistance during working hours
  • Access to and participation in online forums
  • A final assessment quiz to consolidate learning
  • A certificate of completion for the 3-month Comprehensive Course if completed in time
  • CPD points from the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa (CMSA) for those registered with the HPCSA

Discount
A 10% discount on the full price of the course is offered to any paying member of PatchSA. You can click here to join PatchSA as a member today and once registered, claim your discount. Annual membership costs between R200 – R400, depending on your qualifications.

Bursaries
Limited bursaries of 50% are available for healthcare providers working directly with pregnant mothers, neonates and/or their families in South Africa. Please send a motivation email to tracy.rawlins@patchsa.org before 16 July to apply for a bursary.

Payment
Once registered, you can pay via the PayFast button OR directly into our bank account via EFT. Please see details below the registration form.

Refunds: Once you have started the course in August 2025, no refunds will be paid if you are not able to complete it, however, you will still be provided with access to the online courses over the 3-months. Any refunds requested before 1 August will be subject to a 15% admin fee.  

When does registration close?
Registration for the course closes on Friday 25 July 2025.

Register using the form below and we will send you an invoice for payment OR you can pay using the Payfast button below

Registration for 3-month Certificate Course on Perinatal Palliative Care

Name(Required)
Physical Address(Required)
If you marked 'Other' please let us know your profession.
Do you work directly with pregnant women and newborns?(Required)
Are you a paying member of PatchSA and entitled to a 10% discount on the course??(Required)
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Pay R3000 directly into our bank account using EFT

Bank details

Bank: Standard Bank of South Africa (MYMOBIZ Current Account)

Account name: Palliative Care for Children South Africa

Branch Code: Rondebosch 005009

Account Number: 10 22 543 324 7

SWIFT Code/ IBAN: SBZAAJ

Please use your name and Perinatal 3-month course as our reference

Pay R3000 using Payfast

Pay R2700 using Payfast if you are a paying member of PatchSA

Please note, this is only for bona fide PatchSA members able to provide a membership number on request.