The role of complementary therapy in palliative care: attitudes and experiences in and beyong hospice

This project aims to answer the question: 'Does complementary therapy (CT) have a role in
the integration of palliative care within society?' The intention is to examine the intersection of palliative care and CT from the perspectives of people with life-limiting illness, CT practitioners and health professionals in order to analyse how they impact upon
understanding of, and access to, palliative care services. Findings can be used to improve
practice through education and regulation.
I will use questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, focus groups and participantobservation to explore attitudes, values and experiences of the three participant groups. Themes will include:
- the understanding of palliative care amongst health professionals, CT practitioners and the public
- the understanding of 'complementary' and 'alternative' therapy in these three groups
- connections between 'total pain' (Saunders, 1964), touch, embodiment and the therapeutic relationship
- the effectiveness of verbal and non-verbal communication between service-users, therapists and conventional medical practitioners
- understanding of therapeutic effectiveness
- the potential for the more effective integration of CTs into new models of palliative care
My MA Research Methods dissertation is establishing my collaborative partnerships with
Parkinson's UK and local hospices, and piloting some of the PhD project's methods.
The project's outcomes will be disseminated to therapists, businesses, health professionals, educators, regulators, service commissioners and the public, via Parkinson's UK. It is envisaged that its findings will be used in training packages aimed at improving the effectiveness and quality of CT in palliative care within and outside hospice settings.