Pam Firth

Pam Firth qualified originally as a social worker and subsequently trained in counselling and family and group work. Her early career was in child and adult psychiatry where she held a number of senior posts. She joined the hospice movement 16 years ago.Currently she is Deputy Director and Head of Family Support at Isabel Hospice UK where she also manages a team of social workers and counsellors as well as being involved with clinical work, education and strategic planning.

Pam is a member of the UK Association of Palliative Care Social Workers and is a former social work lecturer. Her many interests are in family and childhood bereavement and in service user involvement. She has co- edited a text book on Loss change and bereavement last year and has contributed many book chapters which include teamwork in palliative care and communication skills with families.

She has been an enthusiastic board member of the European association of Palliative Care and has lectured all over the world. She is keen to support social workers in palliative care in Europe and stresses the need for good quality education and research in the field of psychosocial care.