Triennial Report 2020-2023
25th September 2024
The Cicely Saunders Institute of Palliative Care has now published its latest Triennial Report (2020-23) highlighting a broad range of activities in ground-breaking research, education, training and clinical care.
The Institute’s Director, Professor Catherine Evans writes:
Between 2020 and 2023, a lot changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and we’ve worked hard to make palliative care more equal for everyone. This report shares our new goals and mission. We are still committed to doing the best we can in research, education, and medical practice to improve palliative care for people of all ages, from children to the elderly. We want to make sure that everyone has equal access to care by using the latest research, working with skilled teams, and finding new ways to educate.
The report highlights important work by the Cicely Saunders Institute and our partners, who are focused on improving palliative care. Over these years, we’ve made big improvements to meet the growing need for high-quality, inclusive care for people with life-limiting illnesses around the world.
One of our main goals has been to widen access to palliative care. During this time, clinical services expanded to seven days a week at King’s College Hospital and Guy’s and St. Thomas’ Hospitals. We also updated our Palliative Care MSc programme to allow flexible learning options, including fully remote, in-person, or a mix of both. Plus, we created a new strategy to involve patients and the public more in our work.
A highlight of this period was a visit from HRH Princess Anne, marking more than 10 years since the Institute opened. We also led many research projects in the UK, Europe, and worldwide, focused on improving care for vulnerable people. Some of the major projects include:
- Better End of Life Programme: Led by our researchers with Hull York Medical School, University of Hull, and University of Cambridge. This project looked at how COVID-19 affected dying, death, and bereavement in the UK, using data and new research.
- Global Health and Palliative Care Research Group: A £2.7 million programme that helped build palliative care research in sub-Saharan Africa and expanded care access in Uganda, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.
- EMBED-Care: A £4.7 million research programme with University College London, focusing on improving palliative care for people with dementia and their families.
- BETTER-B: A €3.7 million international study testing a new treatment for breathlessness that persists despite the best care for underlying lung disease.
These projects show our commitment to improving palliative care for everyone, no matter where they live or what condition they have.
‘Making a difference in palliative care’; the Cicely Saunders Institute of Palliative Care, Policy, and Rehabilitation – Vision and Mission, and Triennial Report (2020-2023)