Evidence that opens up new ways of thinking and acting 1 of 5
Drawing on and growing the Cambridge academic tradition 2 of 5
Focus on patients' and carers' experiences and perspective 3 of 5
Recognising the polarities of experience around palliative & end of life care 4 of 5
Creating ambitious and free-spirited collaborations 5 of 5
Welcome to the website of the Cambridge Palliative & End of Life Care (CPEOLC) research group!
Research at the end of life concerns, ultimately, all of us. It is full of controversies, contrasts and unknowns. It is full of practical and methodological challenges. The people we study are often at the boundary between life and death. You cannot go in easily with your new idea for service improvement, questionnaire or audio-recorder.
Palliative and end of life care research is a surprisingly small field of enquiry when you consider its 'no exceptions' relevance and complexity. The Cambridge Palliative & End of Life Care Group, led by Dr Stephen Barclay, is one of only a few centres for such research in the UK.
Our work is global in its collaborations, ambitions and quality. It is also frequently local - with our GP practices, our hospices, our hospitals - as we are committed to making a tangible difference.
The focus we take varies. We look closely into the experiences of patients and their families. We investigate new models of care for their promise. We question existing ones for their omissions, problematic assumptions and sources of inequality. We carry out research to understand the perspectives of clinicians and to support their professional development. We work to elicit system factors, trends, financial implications and other evidence to support commissioners, organisational leaders, and policy makers in their decision making.
Our projects are mainly in the areas of Communication and decision making, Education and capacity building, Organisation of services and care provision, Patients' and carers' quality of life, needs and preferences and Symptoms and symptom management,
Take a look at our webpages and do get in touch if our research is of interest. Thank you for visiting!
Photo credits: radio82, bdsklo, Instants, Kevin Wells and LoveTheWind at iStock, Getty Images.
CPEOLC News
Patient and public involvement – a matter of life and death
Blog by Dr Mila Petrova, Cambridge Palliative and End of Life Care Group, Primary Care Unit She was supposed…
Thirteen categories of support needs have been described for patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), in a comprehensive review…
Last few places for the CPEOLC 1st May event
Join us at “Care towards the end of life: research into practice” - event showcasing recent and new research of…
Dynamic “Design to Care” video on a new Marie Curie-funded programme
In this engaging video (< 3 min) you can find out about the new Marie Curie-funded "Design to Care" programme.…
The “oldest old” – recent study on dying comfortably in this age group
As life expectancy increases, more and more people are dying at increasingly older ages. They are often affected by multiple…