A Year of Research at St Gemma’s

A Year of Research at St Gemma’s

At St Gemma’s, we strive to provide the best possible patient care. Alongside incorporating current best practice, we actively engage with improving knowledge through our Academic Unit of Palliative Care and by participating in research studies.

New scientific advances and a growing emphasis on compassionate, holistic support for people with serious illnesses are helping palliative and end of life care to evolve and better meet the needs of patients with complex conditions. Within the past year, several trends and breakthroughs have shaped the landscape of care for patients facing life-limiting conditions, offering new insights and hope for improved quality of life during their illness.

St Gemma’s Research Practitioner, Rachel Byrne, reflects on these advances and the Hospice’s participation over the past year:

Research focuses within the last 12 months

Throughout 2024, St Gemma’s has recruited participants for many research projects developed by various universities. Many of these studies have involved interviewing patients and their families, giving them the opportunity to discuss their experiences within palliative and end of life care. Thanks to the patients and families taking part, St Gemma’s and the universities involved have been able to develop findings from this information and embed these into evidence-based practice.

As well as interviewing patients and their family members, St Gemma’s staff have also participated in interviews and focus groups, allowing for the vital views and experiences of healthcare professionals to be collected and analysed.

Topics of research that St Gemma’s has been involved with include:

• Optimising care in patients with malignant bowel obstruction
• Body-mind interventions and breathlessness-related distress
• Referrals for psychological support
• Changes in walking in patients with advanced cancer
• Mindful breathing interventions for psychological distress to optimise symptom management.

We’ve witnessed an emphasis on holistic support with the efficacy of mindfulness-based therapies being a key focus for many palliative care research studies over the past year. This approach shows promise in alleviating physical and emotional distress, without the side effects often associated with traditional painkillers.

Within the last 12 months we’ve seen a rise in studies examining the integration of social and psychological factors to tailor care plans, and we welcome this personalised, patient-centred approach. Personalised care not only improves symptom management but also enhances patients’ overall experience, empowering them to make informed decisions about their care options.

Effective communication has remained a cornerstone of palliative care, and research within St Gemma’s has underscored its vital role in improving patient and family satisfaction. Interviews were conducted with patients and their families to allow St Gemma’s to have a good understanding of what we were doing well and what can be improved across our In-Patient unit.

Many of St Gemma’s research projects have focused on caregivers, who are often overlooked in broader research. Research has increasingly recognised the strain placed on family members and informal caregivers of palliative and end of life care patients, particularly in terms of emotional, physical and financial stress. Interviewing caregivers has allowed researchers to hear directly from the caregivers themselves, listening to their experiences and expert opinions on a wide range of important topics.

Technology has continued to transform palliative and end of life care, with virtual reality (VR) being explored to provide comfort and reduce anxiety in palliative patients, offering a new dimension to care delivery. This is a project that St Gemma’s has been actively involved with, and will be further involved with in the following months.

Looking ahead

Looking at the year ahead, St Gemma’s research is poised to continue advancing in new and exciting ways, whilst remaining committed to our participation in research studies that meet our Hospice values. The growing recognition of the importance of compassionate, individualised care for those in palliative and end of life care is encouraging greater collaboration amongst researchers and clinicians.

With ongoing efforts to integrate new treatments, technologies and approaches into clinical practice, the future of palliative care within St Gemma’s Hospice will continue to incorporate the most up-to-date knowledge, ensuring patients receive the dignity, comfort and support they deserve in their final years, months and days.