Joint charity initiative funding research into improving end of life care

Marie Curie  and Dimbleby Cancer Care are pleased to announce the first call for research applications to a new partnership research fund that seeks to improve end of life care.

The Dimbleby Marie Curie Cancer Care Research Fund is offering a total of £500,000 in 2010/11 for robust research into effective ways of using volunteers in the provision of end of life care.

The first call for research recognises that many of those who provide services to people at the end of life are seeking to develop new ways of involving volunteers to support the delivery of care. Specifically, the call seeks to:

• understand the potential for effective interventions using volunteers;

• establish the evidence base for how volunteers may improve care; and

• understand the limitations and the costs of using volunteers.

In short, how much can the use of volunteers support the delivery of high quality care at the end of life?

Applications for robust research to inform the development of effective interventions using volunteers in the provision of care during the last months or weeks of a person’s life are invited.

The call is open to all and applications within the remit will be peer-reviewed, allowing for a wholly open and competitive process for determining funding. Methodological rigour and feasibility of the project will be paramount.

The deadline for submission of proposals is 15 November 2010.

For more information and application forms, visit Dimbleby Cancer Care website.

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