John Ellershaw MA FRCP

Professor of Palliative Medicine, University of Liverpool

Director, Marie Curie Palliative Care Institute Liverpool

Medical Director, Marie Curie Hospice Liverpool

Clinical Director, Directorate of Palliative Care, Royal Liverpool University Hospitals

John Ellershaw was appointed Medical Director at the Marie Curie Hospice Liverpool and Clinical Director at the Directorate of Palliative Care at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital in 1994. Since then he has contributed to the development of specialist palliative care services in Liverpool. He has led development of palliative care education at undergraduate and postgraduate level within the University of Liverpool and has been involved in the development of the research and development programmes. He was Visiting Professor in Palliative Medicine at Erasmus MC (Department of Medical Oncology) Daniel Den Hoed Cancer Centre in Rotterdam from 1997 to 2006.

In June 2003, Dr Ellershaw was made National Clinical Lead Palliative Care - (Specialist) within the National Cancer Services Collaborative ‘Improvement Partnership' to promote the spread of the Liverpool Care Pathway for the Dying Patient (LCP). He is currently a member of the National End of Life Initiative Steering Group within the Department of Health.

In November 2004 he became Director of the Marie Curie Palliative Care Institute which is a partnership between the Marie Curie Hospice Liverpool and the University of Liverpool, with a satellite unit at the Royal Liverpool University Hospitals. It has been created in recognition of the close working partnership between the three organisations and the expansion of the educational portfolio and research programme that has been achieved in recent years. The main research theme is are care of the dying.

In June 2005 he became Honorary Professor of Palliative Medicine at the University of Liverpool. This is the first Chair in Palliative Medicine at the University of Liverpool and provides a focal point for future educational and research developments.