About us

The Marie Curie Palliative Care Institute Liverpool (MCPCIL) is an exciting collaboration between the voluntary sector, academia and the NHS. The Institute has a multi-professional profile and is under the leadership of John Ellershaw, Professor of Palliative Medicine at the University of Liverpool, Medical Director at the Marie Curie Hospice Liverpool and Clinical Director of the Specialist Palliative Care Directorate at the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust (RLBUHT).

The Institute was established in November 2004 by Marie Curie Cancer Care, the University of Liverpool and the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust. The MCPCIL is a leading organisation in the field of palliative care, with a specific focus on end of life care and care of the dying. The work of the Institute is directed towards making a real and sustained difference to patient care, from bedside to policy, and is achieved through its substantial research and development and learning and teaching programmes.

 

Aims

The Institute aims to be the global market leader in this sphere of care. Our approach is to build on the strengths of the partnerships, internal and external to the Institute that are already diverse and dynamic, while identifying and responding to changing needs and opportunities. The Institute aims to make a significant and extensive contribution through knowledge transfer and related research and strategic development activities.

 

Our partners

The Institute is part of the School of Clinical Sciences within the University of Liverpool’s Faculty of Medicine. It currently operates out of two clinical sites – the Marie Curie Hospice Liverpool and the Royal Liverpool Hospital. Its structure and organisation highlights its core business focus on research and development and learning and teaching.

The three core partnerships have placed the Institute in a strong position to attract funding utilising its DH, NHS, charitable and academic affiliations. This has placed the Institute in a unique and innovative position.

Within the School of Clinical Sciences and across the University of Liverpool, the Institute has established working relationships with existing and potential personnel for future working which has in turn led to the creation of joint funding bids through collaborative working.

The Institute is well placed for attracting further resources in liaison with the Liverpool Cancer Trials Unit, the Liverpool Cancer Research Network and the Comprehensive Local Research Network. This is important as the recent Department of Health review (2008 – High Quality care for All: NHS Next Stage Review Final report) placed the continued development of end of life care high on the political agenda.

Further opportunities for research and development as well as learning and teaching are highlighted in the North West SHA Cancer Working group document and also emphasised in the National End of Life Care Strategy.

 

National and international expertise

Institute personnel hold influential positions nationally and internationally within the field of palliative and end of life care. The esteem of key personnel has attracted commissions to contribute to some of the most innovative and influential texts within the field of palliative care. This enhances the position and reputation of the Institute and its ability to attract funding and resources.

 

The Liverpool Care Pathway for the Dying Patient (LCP)

The Liverpool Care Pathway for the Dying Patient (LCP) Framework continues to be a major focus for the work of the Institute. This framework has a national and international reputation which clearly defines the Institute as the global leader in this sphere of clinical and academic practice. The International LCP programme includes work across 17 countries including innovative projects in India, China and New Zealand. The associated reputation and kudos attached to the LCP framework has played a key role in attracting major funding for several important projects within the Research and Development portfolio. The LCP framework continues to be the focus of collaborative work with various national organisations including the National Council for Palliative Care, the National Kidney Foundation, the Royal College of Physicians, the Royal Society of Medicine and the Care Quality Commission.