Research and development

  

Aims

The Marie Curie Palliative Care Institute Liverpool has a core commitment to undertake research in care of the dying to improve knowledge and understanding in this extremely sensitive area. Its major focus is on

  • developing studies that impact directly on patient care (eg physical, psychosocial, ethical and spiritual aspects of care)
  • service organisation and delivery (including evaluation of frameworks of care)
  • education and training with a view to influencing future policy.

Challenges

Undertaking robust, high-quality research in palliative and end of life care is crucial in the quest to improve patient care. However, complex practical, ethical and moral challenges exist, particularly when researching the care of the dying patient and their families. Research in this area is further challenged by the need to identify appropriate outcomes and meaningful ways of measuring them. 
 

A unique approach

The Institute recognises the need to find innovative ways of utilising the most appropriate research, audit and service evaluation techniques in order to retain a patient and carer focus that balances practical application with robust investigation.  

Find out more

Audit and research evaluation

 

A well developed area of Institute study is the comprehensive audit and research evaluation that continues to develop around the national implementation programme for the Liverpool Care Pathway for the Dying Patient (LCP). Within this area, a multifaceted approach has resulted in:

- The National Care of the Dying Audit - Hospitals (NCDAH) - using the LCP to audit the delivery of care in the dying phase, culminating in comparative audit data and workshops to discuss findings and action plan for the future

- Qualitative research into the views of health professionals regarding the LCP in different care setting.

- Developing a questionnaire to evaluate the views of relatives and carers on death and dying.

- More information regarding studies currently within the Institute portfolio, along with details of recently published articles and conference presentations.