National Recognition for Kentown Support’s Collaborative Approach to Children’s Palliative Care

Kentown Support is delighted to announce that it has won the Partnership Working Across Health and Social Care Award at the 2026 Palliative and End of Life Care Awards.

This national recognition celebrates the collaborative approach at the heart of the Kentown programme model and acknowledges the impact of partnership working in delivering coordinated, family-centred care for seriously ill children and young people. The category recognises teams that demonstrate exceptional multi-level collaboration across the health and social care sectors, creating lasting and sustainable impact beyond individual organisations.

While the judges recognised the Kentown programme model overall, they paid tribute to its Greater Manchester programme, commenting that it:

“Delivers an exceptional entry that demonstrates outstanding cross- system integration by uniting ten commissioners and multiple charities under one framework. The unique single point of access creates a true multidisciplinary team.”

These comments embody the vision that led to the establishment of Kentown Support just over a year ago: that every child with a life limiting condition and their family across the UK has access to a model of round the clock integrated community palliative care.

The award is also a testament to the dedication, expertise and collaboration of its partners across Greater Manchester. By working in a fully collaborative way, Kentown Support has filled many existing gaps, creating joined-up services, improving access to support and ensuring families receive the right care, at the right time, from the right professionals.

Kentown Support CEO, Dr Helena Dunbar said:

“I am incredibly proud to receive this recognition and would like to

thank everyone who has contributed to making this model a success. This

achievement belongs to all those who share our ambition to transform

children's palliative care through partnership, innovation and integrated

working. Together, we are making a real difference to the lives of seriously

ill children, young people and their families.”