Every year, the national Red4Research campaign celebrates the people and organisations involved in health and care research. At The Myton Hospices, research plays a vital role in helping us provide the best possible care for our patients and their families, both now and in the future.
While some may not immediately associate research with hospice care, it is an important part of what we do. Research helps us better understand the needs and experiences of patients and families, improve services, and ensure our care reflects the latest evidence and best practice.
By engaging in clinical studies and supporting research projects, we contribute to a greater understanding of palliative and end of life care. This not only helps shape future services but also ensures the care we provide remains compassionate, high-quality and informed by the latest knowledge.
The Myton Hospices is proud to contribute to national research priorities in palliative and end of life care, working alongside healthcare partners, researchers and clinicians to help answer important questions about how care can be improved for patients and those closest to them.
Research also provides opportunities for patients, carers, volunteers and staff to contribute their experiences and perspectives. By ensuring that the voices of those directly affected by terminal illness and end of life care are represented, research can help shape more relevant, compassionate and person-centred approaches to care.
Lizzy Jenkins, Research Nurse at The Myton Hospices, said:
Health research at The Myton Hospices is a really exciting and important part of patient care. We feel passionately about developing a culture of inquiry and best practice, and research can enable this to happen.
By promoting evidence-based care and engaging in clinical trials we can ensure our patients receive care that is contemporary and grounded in evidence. We also contribute to the much-needed palliative and end of life care research priorities that are set nationally and uphold high standards of research ethics, ensuring our patients, families, volunteers and staff are central to all research aims.
The Red4Research campaign is a great way to celebrate all that is happening in the research world of Myton and beyond!
Dr Nicky Baker, Specialist Doctor in Palliative Medicine at The Myton Hospices, said:
Palliative care settings are notoriously under-represented in healthcare research. As a hospice, engaging in research studies means we can maximise opportunities for palliative care patients, carers and staff to participate. Involving these groups is invaluable, ensuring studies are informed by the perspectives of those with direct experience of serious illness and end-of-life care. It helps researchers better understand their needs, preferences, and priorities, leading to more relevant and patient-centred interventions.
Empowering palliative care patients to take part in research not only improves the quality of research outcomes, but also has enormous value in affirming their autonomy, expertise, and voice in advancing compassionate care.
By taking part in research and embracing a culture of learning, we can continue to build on our knowledge, improve experiences for patients and families, and help shape the future of hospice care for generations to come.
This Red4Research Day, we are proud to celebrate everyone involved in research at The Myton Hospices and beyond. From researchers and clinicians to patients, families, volunteers and supporters, every contribution helps advance understanding, shape future care and ensure that the voices of those with lived experience remain at the heart of hospice research.
