A new partnership has been launched to support and encourage palliative care research in the North West.

The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) have funded a research and clinical partnership in palliative care, recognising that this is an area of high clinical need where more research is required.

The Palliative Care Research Partnership North West Coast (PalCaRe NWC) is led by Professor of Palliative Care Catherine Walshe from the International Observatory on End of Life Care at Lancaster University.

Professor Walshe said: “We know how important palliative care is, and that research is vital to help us to provide the best possible care. I hope this partnership will help boost research so that local people have the opportunity to take part in research that takes account of our local needs here in the North West.”

The partnership includes The University of Liverpool, University of Chester, UCLan, Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust and the Clinical Research Network North West Coast.

David Houston, Chief Executive at Trinity Hospice, which is also involved in the partnership, said: “As the leading provider of outstanding hospice care for the Fylde coast, we wholeheartedly welcome and are delighted to be involved in this partnership, which will help to shape the future of palliative care, not only in our area but across the North West.

“Palliative and end-of-life care has drastically evolved since the inception of Trinity for Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre, and it is only through partnerships and research such as this that we can truly say we are meeting the needs of every person, and every family, who needs our specialist care and support. We pride ourselves on how we work with health care providers in and around our area to ensure the very best palliative care for our community.”

The Palliative Care Research Partnership North West Coast (PalCaRe NWC) has three aims:

· to work with people providing all types of palliative care in this area to understand more about what helps and hinders research locally and to address any of these barriers

· to help develop research capacity and expertise across the local area

· to support people applying for large-scale NIHR grants

The Partnership has already launched a survey to understand more about local barriers. The survey is aimed at anyone working in palliative care across the North West Coast including people in hospitals, community settings, nursing homes, hospices etc. as well as those involved in palliative care research.

You can find out more about the survey here.

A website is being developed here, where more information will be added as the project progresses.