Our research

DECIDE. Diverse Experiences of End-of-Life Care In Dementia.

Dr Felicity Dewhurst (Flic), one of our Consultants in Palliative Medicine, is leading a research project – which focuses on helping to improve the care provided for all people with dementia as they approach the end of their lives.

The study which is funded by the National Institute for Health and Social Care Research (NIHR Three Schools Dementia Programme), is called: DECIDE. Diverse Experiences of End-of-Life Care In Dementia.

The research team lead by Flic and two other lead researchers, Dr Louise Tomkow and Dr Marie Poole, is based at Newcastle University, University of Manchester, and London School of Economics.

According to a recent report by Marie Curie, titled ‘Dying in Poverty – exploring poverty at the end of life in the UK’, we know that people with dementia who are from ethnic minority communities or who experience poverty are less likely to receive good end-of-life care.

The report also noted that research into end-of-life care often does not include people from these communities too.

At St Oswald’s Hospice, we want to find out what issues are important to resolve, to ensure good end-of-life care for people with dementia from ethnic minority groups and those experiencing poverty.

If you, or someone you know has dementia and / or experience of caring for someone with dementia and / or end of life care, and you’d like to know more, please contact Flic directly on FelicityDewhurst@stoswaldsuk.org.

Lymphoedema: Management of Lymphoedema by Independent Hospices: A Cohort Study

This study was carried out by a cohort from four independent hospices in the North East of England, including St Oswald’s Hospice. By analysing the data from patients attending lymphoedema services delivered by the four hospices in 2017/2018, it aimed to better understand the patient demographics; reasons for referral; and numbers of people living and being treated for lymphoedema in the North East,

Results highlighted that Independent hospices are providing a specialist lymphoedema service, which is high in volume and largely invisible. This service is delivered at not insignificant cost. In contrast to previous work in the North East of England, lymphoedema sufferers are more likely to be female and not have the condition in association with cancer. The availability of rigorous data collection will allow the independent hospices to understand better the delivery and associated costs of lymphoedema services.