Education

• PhD in Palliative Care, University of Liverpool, 2015.
• Member of the Royal College of Physicians, 2009.
• MBChB (with commendation), University of Liverpool, 2005.

Synopsis

I am a Senior Clinical Lecturer in Palliative Care at Lancaster Medical School. From a research persepective, I am based within the International Observatory on End of Life Care. I am also the research lead for Research lead (Marie Curie Hospice Liverpool) and a former Research Scholar for the (National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) North West Coast Clinical Research Network (CRN)). Clinically, I work as an Honorary Consultant in Palliative Care at the Royal Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

My PhD project involved the use of bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) to evaluate hydration in advanced cancer. For this work, I was awarded the 2014 Twycross Research prize of the Association of Palliative Medicine and received joint 3rd place for the Early Researcher Award of the European Association of Palliative Care (EAPC). I also won the National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) conference prize on two occasions (2012 and 2014). Previously, I have completed a number of clinical-academic posts as part of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Integrated Clinical Academic Training (ICAT) pathway.

My research interests includes (1) the evaluation of technology to support care for patients with advanced disease and (2) the use of clinically assisted hydration to manage symptoms.

From an engagement perspective, I am the ‘Digital Technology’ Editor for the ‘Palliative Medicine’ journal (SAGE Publications). In this role I produce podcasts to enable dissemination of the journals’ work to a wider audience. I lead a multi-disciplinary hospice-based journal club which has resulted in the identification of research questions and quality improvement work. I coordinate a project about technology in palliative care, which has involved public engagement activity.

In 2020 I was awarded the Churchill Fellowship. I will research how digital health technology can improve palliative care, in the Netherlands and the USA. I will use his findings to inform a report in partnership with Marie Curie which will provide a framework for healthcare providers in the UK. 

Media articles related to current projects:

Hydration in advanced disease

• Improving the approach to end of life care (University of Liverpool)
• Marie Curie Research Impact report (page 36)
• Coming full circle: Thoughts on winning the European Association for Palliative Care Early Researcher Award (EAPC blog)

Use of Technology in palliative care

• Podcasts can help global discussion of palliative care (University of Liverpool)
• AmiPal podcast
• Discussion of palliative care on Twitter is largely positive, and increasing (E-hospice article)
• Palliative care podcasts (Pallimed)

Listen to me talk about my research as part of the research scholars programme

You can be a doctor video

Awards

• Churchill Fellowship, Winston Churchill Memorial Trust, 2020.
• Starter grants for Clinical Lecturers, Academy of Medical Sciences, 2016.
• 1st place winner of oral presentation, Academic Clinical Lecturers Prize Presentation, University of Liverpool, 2015.
• Early Researcher Award 2015 (joint 3rd place), European Association of Palliative Care (EAPC), 2015.
• Twycross Research Prize, Association of Palliative Medicine (APM), 2014.
• Winner of the National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) Conference Prize, 2014.
• Winner of the National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) Conference Prize, 2012.
• The John M Leggate Trophy, Liverpool Medical School, University of Liverpool, 2005.
• Caroline Elliott award, University of Liverpool, 2003.

Engagement activities

• Marie Curie Hospice Liverpool journal club
• Palliative Medicine podcasts
• Technology in palliative care study