Supporting palliative care research in Ireland
All Ireland Institute of Hospice and Palliative Care (AIIHPC) in conjunction with the Public Health Agency’s Health and Social Care Research and Development Division (PHA HSC R&D) is pleased to announce two research fellowships that will focus on improving end-of-life care.
AIIHPC is made up of 12 organisations from throughout the island of Ireland and works to improve how patients and their families experience support and care from palliative and end-of-life services. AIIHPC is supporting research by awarding these fellowships and promoting a more coordinated, partnership approach to research by setting up a Structured Research Network for palliative care.
Cathy Payne, Research Fellow in the School of Health Sciences at the University of Ulster was awarded the first Doctoral Fellowship in Hospice and Palliative Care. Cathy is undertaking research on a rehabilitation programme for people with poor appetite and weight loss as a result of lung cancer. The programme aims to help reduce symptoms and improve people’s quality of life.
Helen Sinclair, Teaching Fellow at the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Queen’s University Belfast, has been awarded the second Doctoral Fellowship in Hospice and Palliative Care. Helen’s research will focus on the transition of young people with life-limiting conditions – in Dublin and Belfast – to adult services. Improved care and treatment now enable more young people with such conditions to live beyond their childhood. As a result they need to move to adult care services – a prospect that can be daunting for them and their families. Currently, there is little evidence on services during that time of change and Helen’s research will identify factors to help make the transition a success.
The awards will enable both Cathy and Helen to undertake research training programmes leading to a PhD as a means of developing a research career in palliative care.
Commenting on Helen’s award, Dr Sonja McIlfatrick, Head of Research, AIIHPC said: “We are delighted to partner with PHA HSC R&D again to award our second Doctoral Fellowship in palliative care. Helen’s research is not only all-island in its scope, but seeks to look at a very important issue for children with life-limiting conditions and their families. We wish Helen well with her research and look forward to the positive outcomes.”
Professor Bernie Hannigan, Director of HSC R&D said: “Developing our capacity to carry out high quality research in palliative care is one of the most important roles for this superb Institute. How else can we really know how to care most effectively for people who may be nearing the ends of their lives? I have full confidence that our Doctoral Fellowship awards will contribute to the Institute’s legacy of excellence.”
For more information on the All Ireland Institute of Hospice and Palliative Care see www.aiihpc.org
Contact the PHA Communications Office on (028) 9055 3663.
Photo caption: Back row from left, Dr Sonja McIlfatrick, Head of Research, AIIHPC; Professor Bernie Hannigan, Director of HSC R&D; Dr Michael Neely, Assistant Director, PHA HSC R&D; front row, from left, Helen Sinclair, Doctoral Fellow, AIIHPC/HSC R&D; and Cathy Payne, Doctoral Fellow, AIIHPC/HSC R&D.
AIIHPC is made up of 12 Consortium Member Organisations as follows:
- Dublin Academic Medical Centre (DAMC)
- Marie Curie Centre, Belfast
- Milford Care Centre, Limerick
- Northern Ireland Hospice
- Our Lady’s Hospice and Care Services, Dublin
- Queen’s University Belfast
- St Francis Hospice, Dublin
- St James’s Hospital, Dublin
- Trinity College Dublin
- University College Dublin
- University of Limerick
- University of Ulster
Helen Sinclair
Helen has vast experience to bring to her new award. Helen has worked in elderly care home settings; in oncology – initially ward-based and later as a nurse counsellor with responsibility for initiating and developing a counselling service for patients, relatives and staff in Belvoir Park Hospital, Belfast; and as a Marie Curie Nurse providing palliative nursing care to patients and their families in the community. Helen’s clinical, research and academic interests are in the area of oncology and palliative care with a particular focus on the psychological aspect of care. She completed a Specialist Practice in Oncology Degree in 2001 and a Masters in Nursing in 2006.
Cathy Payne
Since receiving the award earlier this year, the fellowship has already provided Cathy with many opportunities to expand her research knowledge and expertise. She has also presented her research at the European Association of Palliative Care’s seventh World Research Congress that took place in Trondheim, Norway in June.