Cicely Saunders and a nurse reviewing notes

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NMPC 2023 highlights: July - September

08 December 2023

Health

From the 75th anniversary of the NHS and funding to develop health and social care research to new evidence on the challenges faced by people diagnosed with dementia and their care givers.

Poor access to care driving people with dementia to A&E

Hospital emergency departments have become a last resort for people diagnosed with dementia, as the condition is often not recognised as a life-limiting condition by healthcare professionals.

People with dementia and their caregivers are frequently met with misunderstanding and social stigma by local community healthcare services, which is creating a barrier for timely and adequate access to the support they need.

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NHS at 75: "It's been my life's dream"

The National Health Service turned 75 on 5 July 2023. To mark the occasion, students and staff across King's shared what the NHS means to them and their experience of working in the health sector.

Professor Dame Anne Marie Rafferty said: "Being a nurse has afforded me an incredibly privileged career. It has tested me to the utmost of my abilities and stretched me in directions I could never dream of. It's high-powered, high pressured and I’ve met the most incredible people along the way."

£25m NIHR funding to tackle health and social care issues

The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) today awarded King’s £25m to tackle important long-standing and emerging health and social care issues.

Professor Katherine Sleeman to establish a new Policy Research Unit for palliative and end of life care. Professor Alan Simpson also received continued funding for the Mental Health Policy Unit which he co-directs.

Dr Harvey Max Chochinov is a Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Manitoba and a Senior Scientist at CancerCare Manitoba Research Institute. His research in palliative care has resulted in more than 300 career publications, broaching diverse topics such as depression, quality-of-life, suicide, vulnerability, spirituality, and existential distress. He has also led a large program of research on dignity within the healthcare setting, which includes the development and study of Dignity Therapy.

Celebrating Dame Cicely Saunders – a window into the life of a palliative care pioneer

Dame Cicely Saunders OM DBE (Nursing, 1914; Medicine, 1957) was a nurse, social worker, physician, and King’s alumna, best known for revolutionising end-of-life care.

Inspired by interactions with her patients, Cicely devoted herself to improving end-of-life care. In 2002 she established the Cicely Saunders Foundation (which would later evolve into the Cicely Saunders Institute), bringing together exceptional researchers, clinicians, and educators in palliative care.

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