Palliative Care Research Network Symposia
The Annual Palliative Care Research Network Symposium offers researchers opportunities to learn from global experts, share and exchange knowledge and network with peers. Information about the 2025 Symposium can be found below, programmes for past events can be found at the bottom of the page.
Introduction
The All Ireland Institute of Hospice and Palliative Care (AIIHPC) 14th Annual Palliative Care Research Network Symposium was held in the Wood Quay Venue, Dublin 8 on the 20 November 2025. The theme of the symposium was on palliative care research and policy, ‘Research and Policy: Working together to Improve Palliative Care’. It was an all day, in person event that comprised of speakers, panel sessions and poster presentations. The event was supported by the Health Research Board, Health and Social Care R&D Division, Public Health Agency and Health Service Executive (HSE). It was approved for CPD by Royal College of Physicians Ireland and met the CPD criteria of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI).
Audience
There were 101 participants from the island of Ireland and internationally including members of the Palliative Care Research Network (PCRN) and Early Career Researcher Forum (ECRF), health and social care professionals, service providers, policymakers, charity representatives, funders, Voices4Care members and other patient and public contributors.
Programme
The programme for the 14th Annual Palliative Care Research Network Symposium is available here, and you can find biographies for all our contributors here.
Slides and Videos
Welcome and Opening
Karen Charnley, CEO of AIIHPC and Prof Kevin Brazil, Queen’s University Belfast and Chair of the PCRN Strategic Scientific Committee welcomed everyone to the symposium.
Launch of All Ireland Research Priorities for Palliative and End of Life Care 2025-2030
Dr Mary Rabbitte, Research Programme Manager, AIIHPC, Dr Regina McQuillan, Palliative Care Consultant, St Francis Hospice and Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, PCRN member, Austin McCracken, Voices4Care and Éimear O’Flynn PPI Contributor
View slides here.
All Ireland Perspectives on Adult’s Palliative Care Research and Policy
Prof Karen Ryan, University College Dublin, Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, St Francis Hospice, PCRN Member.
View Karen’s slides here.
Dr Esther Beck, Senior Lecturer in Nursing, Ulster University, PCRN Member.
View Esther’s slides here.
Supporting Policy and Practice Through Research
Keynote speaker: Dr Bridget Johnston, Assistant Professor in Health Research, Trinity College Dublin, PCRN Member
View Bridget’s slides here
AIIHPC’s Palliative Care Research Network and Early Career Researcher Forum Update
Jane Clare, PCRN Project Manager, AIIHPC and Dr Busra Ertugrul, Research Support and Knowledge Translation Lead AIIHPC
View slides here.
Session One– AIIHPC Early Career Researcher Forum (ECRF) Members’ Presentations on the Theme
Kasia Patynowska, HSC R&D Doctoral Research Fellow, Faculty of Life and Health Sciences, Ulster University, Research Nurse, Marie Curie, chaired the session with presentations by Tadhg Gleeson, MLitt Candidate, School of Psychology, University College Dublin, Stephanie Crawford, PhD Candidate, Queen’s University Belfast, Niall Manktelow, Research Manager, Galway Hospice, and Dr Lorna Sweeney, Analyst, National Care Experience Programme, Health Information and Quality Authority.
View session slides here.
Session Two – AIIHPC PCRN Members’ Presentations on the Theme
Dr Geraldine Foley, Associate Professor in Occupational Therapy, Trinity College Dublin, Vice Chair of PCRN Strategic Scientific Committee, chaired the session with presentations by Prof Audrey Roulston, School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work, Queen’s University Belfast, Dr Monika Pilch, Assistant Professor, School of Psychology, University College Dublin, and Dr Samantha Smith, Research Assistant Professor, Public Health & Primary Care. Trinity College Dublin.
View session slides here.
Launch AIIHPC PCRN Fellowships and AIIHPC ECRF Fellowships and Bursaries 2025-2030
Karen Charnley, CEO of AIIHPC, Dr Janet Diffen, Health and Social Care R&D, Public Health Agency, Northern Ireland and Dr Catherine Gill, Health Research Board, Republic of Ireland
View slides here.
Children’s Palliative Care Research and Policy and Launch of AIIHPC Children’s Palliative Care Research Special Interest Group
Dr Samantha Smith, Research Assistant Professor Public Health and Primary Care, Trinity College Dublin, PCRN Member, and Dr Busra Ertugrul, Research Support and Knowledge Translation Lead, AIIHPC
View session slides here.
All Ireland Position Paper on Rehabilitative Palliative Care
Prof Mary Lynch, Executive Vice Dean for Research, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.
View Mary’s slides here.
Getting Palliative Care Economics Research into Policy and Practice: some examples of wins and losses
Keynote speaker: Prof Charles Normand, Professor of Economics of Palliative Care and Rehabilitation, Cicley Saunders Institute, Kings College London, Professor Emeritus, Trinity College Dublin, PCRN Member.
View Charles’ slides here.
Panel Discussion
Chair: Prof Suzanne Guerin, Professor of Research Design and Analysis, University College Dublin, PCRN Member
Panel: Prof Mary Lynch, Executive Vice Dean for Research, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Prof Charles Normand, and Dr Bridget Johnston
Key Learnings, Closing Comments and Poster Prize Presentations
Prof Kevin Brazil, Professor of Palliative Care, Queen’s University Belfast, Chair of PCRN Strategic Scientific Committee.
Acknowledgements
We would like to acknowledge the support of the PCRN Symposium Organising Committee. We would also like to thank all our speakers on the day and those that took part in the panel discussions and poster presentations.
If you have any queries or comments about the Symposium please contact Jane Clare, PCRN Project Manager AIIHPC at jclare@aiihpc.org