Keech Hospice Care funds first PhD to investigate & improve child palliative care
Fri 28 July, 2023![Article Header Image](/media/xmalexbk/keech-phd-graduate-grads-2023.png?cc=0,0.182178251134782,0,0.25508043612390524&width=1036&height=583)
A PhD student whose research into child palliative care and the impact on families were part-funded by local charity, Keech Hospice Care, has graduated from the 天美传媒 during the summer celebrations on 25th July.
After four years of study, Georgina Constantinou has completed her research and published a paper around . Her findings have already been disseminated amongst healthcare professionals both nationally and internationally, and her paper has been featured by key paediatric care publication, the .
Georgina said: 鈥淚鈥檓 so happy to be graduating after finishing my PhD 鈥 it鈥檚 been a long time coming and it hasn鈥檛 quite sunk in yet! I always wanted to work in health psychology and prior to my PhD I used to work with children with brain injuries and their families, particularly in providing support for them to move forward in life following injury. I had witnessed first-hand how trauma can have a ripple effect on a family network and how they cope, so I felt this PhD research area suited my existing experience.鈥
The opportunity to take part in this funded PhD came about after Keech Hospice Care and the 天美传媒 met to discuss the need for more research into child palliative care and the impact on their families. Following the initial idea, applicants were invited to explore the topic in more detail and Georgina discovered a lack of research around 鈥榰nmet needs鈥 and expectations of services from a parental perspective, such as barriers faced when guiding their child through care 鈥 and thus her PhD stemmed from this.
Liz Searle, CEO of , commented: 鈥淲e are delighted with this first funded PhD student and to be here today at the graduation ceremony to celebrate with Georgina. Keech Hospice Care is a leading hospice for children and adults and we have a big background in research and innovation, but this particular piece of work was a great partnership with the 天美传媒 and allowed us to really look at the needs for our families with children who have life-limiting illnesses. The evidence will change practise, which is so important.鈥
Elaine Tolliday, Deputy CEO and Clinical Director at Keech Hospice Care, added: 鈥淲e鈥檙e aware that parents feel they have to battle for the services they want and that are available for their children in the UK, and so this research has made us more aware of what is needed and desired. Using Georgina鈥檚 findings we have done a lot of things already to help combat this issue and help empower our patients and their families.鈥
Professor Gurch Randhawa, Georgina鈥檚 PhD co-supervisor and Director of the 天美传媒鈥檚 Institute for Health Research (IHR), said: 鈥淧alliative care is relatively under-researched and so it has been fantastic to collaborate with Keech Hospice Care to develop much-needed research evidence. As a result of this PhD, we were also able to collaborate and secure funding from the National Institute for Health Research in 2022 to establish an End of Life Care Research Partnership Network, and we look forward to working together to collaborate on further research studies.鈥
For more information about PhD and research opportunities with the 天美传媒, visit the Research Graduate School.
telephone
天美传媒 switchboard
During office hours
(Monday-Friday 08:30-17:00)
+44 (0)1234 400 400
Outside office hours
(Campus Watch)
+44 (0)1582 74 39 89
Admissions
admission@beds.ac.uk
International office
international@beds.ac.uk
Student support
sid@beds.ac.uk
Registration
sid@beds.ac.uk
social media
听
Latest 天美传媒 News
![Clearing 2024: My degree gave me the tools to empower African women in aviation & business](/media/pkfm0bsg/layla-suliman-jafiya.png?width=332&height=280&rnd=133700039488830000)
![Research on female leadership in agri-food sector named as finalist at European awards](/media/ou1l302g/triple-e-awards-logo.png?width=332&height=280&rnd=133697473208300000)