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16 July 2019

South London research organisation wins bid to become collaborative national lead in palliative and end of life care and mental health

Dr. Mevhibe B Hocaoglu

The Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care (CLAHRC) South London has been successful in a bid to the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR), securing funding up to £9 million for the next five years to become the Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) South London.

A nurse caring for a patient.

NIHR ARC South London will be one of 15 ARCs undertaking applied health and care research aiming to increase research in public health and primary care. ARC South London, in collaboration with ARC East of England will also become national leads in Palliative and End of Life Care and Mental Health. Palliative and end of life care is a dedicated theme in the ARC.

“I am delighted by this news and the opportunity it will give us to research ways to improve care and outcomes for the communities of South London. A key part of our efforts are driven by the views of local patients and families, who helped us to develop our plans.” 

Professor Irene J Higginson, lead of the palliative and end of life care theme

The support from NIHR will be used to improve the use of outcome measures in routine practice and help staff make better decisions, understand clusters and impact of multimorbidity on people at with serious and advanced illness and to develop and evaluate improved care and therapies. The work undertaken will lead to innovative models of care which will improve access to cost-effective and high-quality palliative and end of life care.

The research undertaken by the Cicely Saunders Institute is vitally important to ensure people at end of life and their families are offered not just the best clinical support but compassionate understanding when they need it most. I am so glad that this bid has been secured in order that their work can continue and I will continue to support the work they do.

Marion Sumerfield, patient representative
L-R - Professor Irene J Higginson, Marion Summerfield
L-R - Professor Irene J Higginson, Marion Summerfield

L-R - Professor Irene J Higginson, Marion Summerfield