Arising from the Palliative Care for All report, three research studies in the area of Palliative Care and Dementia, Heart Failure and Advanced Respiratory Disease will commence this year.  Earlier this year a selection process for the Dementia Care Action Research project took place.  Applications are now invited for participation in two further research studies which seek to establish a framework for palliative interventions to be included as part of the care pathway for people with heart failure and advanced respiratory disease. The proposals for these studies and application forms can be downloaded below.

These research opportunities arise from the recommendations of the joint HSE and IHF report ‘Palliative Care for All - Integrating Palliative Care into DiseaseManagement Frameworks’, which was published in 2008 and was based on the findings

of the Extending Access Study. This study examined how palliative care could extend to

people with diseases other than cancer.

These initiatives are supported by the HSE and funding has been secured from the Irish Hospice Foundation, the Irish Heart Foundation and Baxter International Foundation for the appointment of part-time project officers for two years to oversee implementation.  The Irish Thoracic Society is supportive of the Advanced Respiratory Disease action research project.

The target sites for each research project include a heart failure service/respiratory service with linkages to primary care, acute care and specialist palliative care.  The application process requires three applicants from each discipline – one of which will be the lead applicant. The three applicants for each project will be involved in the service and represent:

For the Heart Failure Project:

1. Cardiologist from Heart Failure service – attached to an acute general hospital

2. Specialist Palliative Care team member – attached to an acute general hospital

3. Primary Care Team member

For the Advanced Respiratory Disease Project:

1. Respiratory Physician – attached to an acute general hospital

2. Specialist Palliative Care team member – attached to an acute general hospital

3. Primary Care Team member

The lead applicant (or their nominee) will have a direct role in local management of the research project, with support from the Irish Hospice Foundation.

Further details on the action research proposals can be downloaded below which provide the context, objectives, methodology and management of each study. You can access the report ‘Palliative Carefor All – Integrating Palliative Care into Disease Management Framework’ on this website or via the Irish Hospice Foundation website - www.hospice-foundation.ie

The closing date for receipt of applications for both projects is the 29th June 2009. In the meantime if you have any queries please contact: Marie Lynch, Programme Development Manager, Irish Hospice Foundation:

E-mail: marie.lynch@hospice-foundation.ie

Tel: 01 673 0063

Click on the links below to download the reports and application forms