Dr Katherine Bristowe PhD, MA, BA, FHEA
Herbert Dunhill Senior Lecturer
- Estates Lead, Cicely Saunders Institute of Palliative Care, Policy & Rehabilitation
Research interests
- Palliative care
Biography
Dr Bristowe has a background in sociolinguistics and health communication research and joined the Cicely Saunders Institute in 2010 as a Research Assistant. Katherine worked on a number of research projects to develop her expertise in both quantitative and qualitative research methods as applied to palliative care, before becoming an independent researcher and lecturer in 2017. Between 2017 and 2020 she was also director of the MSc in palliative care overseeing its redevelopment. Alongside teaching and supervision of research students, Katherine is a qualitative methodologist advising on the use of qualitative methods in the development of complex interventions, and as part of clinical trials.
Research interests:
- widening access to palliative care
- improving communication in the context of serious illness
- improving care for LGBT+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or trans) people facing advanced illness and bereavement
- improving care, outcomes and services for people living with and ageing with HIV
Research profile
Research
Adapting Pulmonary Rehabilitation for People Living with COPD & Frailty
People with COPD and frailty can benefit from, yet face trouble completing pulmonary rehabilitation. BreathePlus will develop and test a new adapted approach.
Project status: Ongoing
C-POS: Children’s Palliative care Outcome Scale
C-POS will be a person-centred outcome measure to be used by children, young people and families affected by life-limiting and life-threatening conditions.
Project status: Ongoing
Dyadic Psychosocial Interventions for People with Advanced Cancer & their Informal Caregivers
The DIAdIC project aims to develop and evaluate two educational psychosocial interventions to support people living with cancer and their family caregivers.
Project status: Ongoing
Adapting Pulmonary Rehabilitation for People Living with COPD & Frailty
People with COPD and frailty can benefit from, yet face trouble completing pulmonary rehabilitation. BreathePlus will develop and test a new adapted approach.
Project status: Ongoing
Centre for Global Health Palliative Care
Centre for Global Health Palliative Care
LGBTQ+ policymaking in the UK
Establishing an interdisciplinary network of academic, policymaking, and civil society stakeholders to address the policy needs of the UK’s LGBTQ+ population.
Project status: Ongoing
Equitable bereavement care for all
An inclusive, qualitative study to improve bereavement services for those from ethnically diverse communities.
Project status: Ongoing
Better Health & Care Hub
A world-leading cross-university development in research and education.
The ACCESSCare projects, for LGBT+ people facing serious illness, advanced illness and bereavement
The ACCESSCare projects, for LGBT+ people facing serious illness, advanced illness and bereavement.
Structural and life course determinants of LGBTQ+ health inequalities
Leveraging King’s data and expertise to enhance understanding and move into action.
Project status: Ongoing
News
King's experts unite to fight LGBTQ+ health inequalities
A 'supergroup’ of experts from across the University are pooling their knowledge and resources to help establish King’s as a global centre of research...
The use of metaphors enables patients and caregivers to communicate their experiences of living with long-term conditions
Patients can provide a unique insight into their own physical and emotional world through their own words with intentional or unintentional metaphors
Academic promotions in Nursing, Midwifery & Palliative Care
Eight academics in the Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery & Palliative Care have been awarded promotions during the 2022-23 year.
Inclusive health and social care: Improving communication between clinicians and LGBT+ people
Research from King’s College London featured as an alert on NIHR Evidence, a platform which aims to bridge the gap between research findings and practice.
Same gender partners experience worse psychological distress following bereavement
New research has found that people in same-gender relationships have greater psychological distress than those in mixed-gender relationships following the...
Six influential papers from early career researchers
Discover six impactful articles from early career researchers at the Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery and Palliative Care.
New tool launched to help provide person-centred care for people living with HIV
The POSITIVE Outcomes tool can support people with HIV and help healthcare professionals understand where to focus their care.
Five articles to read for LGBTQ+ History Month
Discover five articles from the Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery & Palliative Care to read as part of LGBTQ+ History Month.
Features
LGBT+ History Month 2025: Shaping the future of palliative care
Discrimination has no place in healthcare, especially at times of heightened vulnerability. Yet, LGBTQ+ individuals have faced a history of unequal treatment...
MSc Palliative Care:
- Research methods - Qualitative methods, qualitative interviewing, questionnaire design
- Psychosocial modules - sexual orientation and gender identity / supporting the needs of LGBT+ people
- MBBS programme - cultural competence - sexual orientation and gender identity
Research
Adapting Pulmonary Rehabilitation for People Living with COPD & Frailty
People with COPD and frailty can benefit from, yet face trouble completing pulmonary rehabilitation. BreathePlus will develop and test a new adapted approach.
Project status: Ongoing
C-POS: Children’s Palliative care Outcome Scale
C-POS will be a person-centred outcome measure to be used by children, young people and families affected by life-limiting and life-threatening conditions.
Project status: Ongoing
Dyadic Psychosocial Interventions for People with Advanced Cancer & their Informal Caregivers
The DIAdIC project aims to develop and evaluate two educational psychosocial interventions to support people living with cancer and their family caregivers.
Project status: Ongoing
Adapting Pulmonary Rehabilitation for People Living with COPD & Frailty
People with COPD and frailty can benefit from, yet face trouble completing pulmonary rehabilitation. BreathePlus will develop and test a new adapted approach.
Project status: Ongoing
Centre for Global Health Palliative Care
Centre for Global Health Palliative Care
LGBTQ+ policymaking in the UK
Establishing an interdisciplinary network of academic, policymaking, and civil society stakeholders to address the policy needs of the UK’s LGBTQ+ population.
Project status: Ongoing
Equitable bereavement care for all
An inclusive, qualitative study to improve bereavement services for those from ethnically diverse communities.
Project status: Ongoing
Better Health & Care Hub
A world-leading cross-university development in research and education.
The ACCESSCare projects, for LGBT+ people facing serious illness, advanced illness and bereavement
The ACCESSCare projects, for LGBT+ people facing serious illness, advanced illness and bereavement.
Structural and life course determinants of LGBTQ+ health inequalities
Leveraging King’s data and expertise to enhance understanding and move into action.
Project status: Ongoing
News
King's experts unite to fight LGBTQ+ health inequalities
A 'supergroup’ of experts from across the University are pooling their knowledge and resources to help establish King’s as a global centre of research...
The use of metaphors enables patients and caregivers to communicate their experiences of living with long-term conditions
Patients can provide a unique insight into their own physical and emotional world through their own words with intentional or unintentional metaphors
Academic promotions in Nursing, Midwifery & Palliative Care
Eight academics in the Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery & Palliative Care have been awarded promotions during the 2022-23 year.
Inclusive health and social care: Improving communication between clinicians and LGBT+ people
Research from King’s College London featured as an alert on NIHR Evidence, a platform which aims to bridge the gap between research findings and practice.
Same gender partners experience worse psychological distress following bereavement
New research has found that people in same-gender relationships have greater psychological distress than those in mixed-gender relationships following the...
Six influential papers from early career researchers
Discover six impactful articles from early career researchers at the Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery and Palliative Care.
New tool launched to help provide person-centred care for people living with HIV
The POSITIVE Outcomes tool can support people with HIV and help healthcare professionals understand where to focus their care.
Five articles to read for LGBTQ+ History Month
Discover five articles from the Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery & Palliative Care to read as part of LGBTQ+ History Month.
Features
LGBT+ History Month 2025: Shaping the future of palliative care
Discrimination has no place in healthcare, especially at times of heightened vulnerability. Yet, LGBTQ+ individuals have faced a history of unequal treatment...
MSc Palliative Care:
- Research methods - Qualitative methods, qualitative interviewing, questionnaire design
- Psychosocial modules - sexual orientation and gender identity / supporting the needs of LGBT+ people
- MBBS programme - cultural competence - sexual orientation and gender identity