It is a huge privilege to lead the highly successful, dynamic multidisciplinary team that forms the Cicely Saunders Institute. I have been part of this team for nearly 15 years; a journey that has enabled me to pursue a rewarding career as a clinical academic nurse. The appointment of Director is for me a fantastic opportunity to support and nurture others to pursue their research careers in palliative care from across disciplines, specialties, settings and methodologies. I am excited about the year ahead working with amazing colleagues and team as we strive for all who require palliative care to receive it, nationally and internationally.
Professor Catherine Evans
30 August 2024
New Director of Cicely Saunders Institute appointed
Professor Catherine Evans to assume new role from 2 September 2024.
We are delighted to announce the appointment of Professor Catherine Evans as Interim Director of Cicely Saunders Institute (CSI). This is an interim position starting on 2 September.
Professor Evans is a senior clinical academic in palliative care and nursing. She joined the CSI in 2010 as a post-doctoral fellow, pursing a successful career as a clinical academic to her current position as Professor in Palliative Care. She is an Honorary Nurse Consultant with Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust in a joint clinical academic post established in 2011 between the Trust and the CSI. She pursued her clinical academic career through personal fellowships from the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR) Integrated Clinical and Practitioner Academic Programme, and support from the Cicely Saunders International to build her research team.
Professor Evans has built a programme of research on community palliative care for older adults with multimorbidity, including dementia. She leads the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)/NIHR national EMPOWER Dementia Network+ - ‘Empowering a meaningful life for all’, addressing inequalities in dementia care for people needing support, with co-lead Dr Emma Wolverson, University of Hull. Her success built on a major £4.7 million research programme called ‘Empowering Better End of Life Dementia Care’ (EMBED-Care), led jointly with Professor Liz Sampson, UCL.
She is a Deputy-Director of the King’s Clinical Academic Training Office; a pan-professional training hub for practitioners to pursue clinical academic careers. She co-leads the NIHR INSIGHT Programme for South London for students and early career registrants to showcase and inspire them into the full range of research careers.
We are very much looking forward to working with Professor Evans as she takes up her new position as Director of the Cicely Saunders Institute. Her research record speaks for itself, and her leadership skills, especially in supporting young researchers, will further strengthen the Cicely Saunders Institute as a globally renowned centre of excellence.
Kate Kirk, Chair of Trustees, Cicely Saunders International
I am delighted that, following an open call for interest and an interview panel that drew on external Faculty leadership and our key stakeholders, Professor Catherine Evans will take up this important post. During her clinical academic career Catherine has amassed enormous experience that will guide the Institute in the conduct and dissemination of world-leading research, education and care.
Professor Richard Harding, Executive Dean (Interim)
In this story
Interim Director of Cicely Saunders Institute and Professor of Palliative Care