£1m grant to palliative care institute

Ivan Lewis, the Care Services Minister, has announced the Cicely Saunders Institute for Palliative Care, which will be the first such facility, will receive a £1 million government grant.

This new project will bring leading clinicians and researchers together

Ivan Lewis

Care Services Minister

The Institute will bring together academics, healthcare professionals, community organisations and patients to examine the issues surrounding best-practice care of people nearing the end of their lives.

In addition, it will work alongside Kings College London to ensure doctors and nurses trained there are skilled in end-of-live care, while research facilities will look into conditions such as end-stage renal disease, heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, multiple sclerosis and cancer.

Mr Lewis commented: "This new project will bring leading clinicians and researchers together, enabling the institute to roll out the most advanced palliative care research and teaching, which will deliver real benefits to patients.

The grant comes after the Government recently announced the End of Life Care Strategy, which aims to improve the standard of care for those approaching the end of their lives.

In addition to the medical community, the strategy will work with organisations such as schools, faith groups, funeral directors, care homes and hospices to raise the profile of palliative care.