New funding for end-of-life care research institute

The government has announced the provision of one million pounds in funding to help build an especially-designed institute to research end-of-life care.

It said the centre – the first of its kind in the world – will facilitate research from leading scientists and deliver high quality palliative care solutions to patients.

The Cicely Saunders Institute for Palliative Care will also offer education, support and patient information

Cicely Saunders International will work together with King’s College London to build the institute.

The Department of Health said this announcement follows on from the launch of its end-of-life care strategy which is supported by 286 million pounds of government funding.

It said the new institute would also increase the number of doctors and nurses trained at King’s College London, while offering improved research facilities to improve homecare of patients.

Ivan Lewis, care services minister, said: “People coming to the end of their lives and their loved ones deserve high quality, compassionate and dignified care, on their own terms.”

He added this new funding will help achieve these goals and underlines the government’s dedication to boost research and enhance the evidence base that form the foundation of end-of-life care services.

In May 2008, the Department of Health announced one million pounds of investment to improve environments for dying people and bereaved relatives in work led by the King’s Fund.