Research is effective when it is supported across the hospice. Find guidance on developing a research strategy that fits your hospice’s priorities and helps make research part of everyday practice.
Building a research-active hospice
Hospices can use research to identify where services can improve, understand what works and ensure that the experiences of staff, patients and families help shape the future of care.
Becoming research active starts with a research opportunity, supported through staff training and partnerships, and developed into a sustained research programme within the hospice. The Hospice Research Hub can support hospices throughout every step. For example, we can help support you from developing a research and action plan, building staff skills and confidence, to delivering research and developing partnerships.
What is a research-active hospice?
A research-active hospice is an organisation where research is seen as crucial to delivering and improving high-quality end-of-life and palliative care.
Being research active includes:
- Creating opportunities for patients and families to participate in research.
- Supporting staff to develop research knowledge and skills.
- Creating opportunities for staff to develop research careers.
- Contributing to research studies and evaluations.
- Developing research leadership within the organisation.
- Using evidence to inform care and service development.
- Identifying important questions arising from hospice care.
- Working with universities, NHS organisations and research networks.
- Sharing research findings and using them to improve care.
Every hospice will be different, and being research active does not mean becoming a university research department. Instead, it means developing a realistic and sustainable approach to using research and evidence to support your hospice’s priorities.
