Key Partners
UCL
UCL have hosted this programme of research since 2016, and now hold the grant for the IMPROVE Community of Practice evalucation.
Dr Briony Hudson is a Principal Research Fellow in the department, Caroline Shulman is a Senior Research Fellow. Dr Nuryie Kupeli is a Principal Research Fellow and co investigator on the IMPROVE study.
Marie Curie
Marie Curie have funded Dr Briony Hudson’s role in this research since 2020.
Marie Curie hosted the Palliative care and homelessness network from 2021 to 2026 and created an initial platform for the community of practice resources.
Marie Curie provided small grant funding to complete research around death cafes for people experiencing homelessness (Jodie Crooks and Gareth Davies) and the development of the frailty and holistic care needs assessment (Dr Natasha Palipane).
Pathway
Pathway is a homeless health charity and has been a key partner in this research since 2016. Caroline, Briony and Sam are all Pathway Research Fellows.
Pathway have a Lived Experience programme that supports and sits alongside this work.
‘We challenge ourselves to take an approach of genuine co-production and always seek to include the voices of people with lived experience of homelessness and multiple exclusion in our work.’
Groundswell
Groundswell are a charity undertake peer led research focused around improving the health and care of people experiencing homelessness.
They have supported different aspects of this research including the development of the TIFFIN recommendations, research around death cafes for people experiencing homelessness and the lived experience group for the IMPROVE study.
They also have a Homeless Health Peer Advocacy service.
University of Leeds
Dr Sarah Mitchell and Dr Lucy Zeigler are based at the University of Leeds, and are co investigators on the NIHR funded IMPROVE study.
University of York
Dr Kate Flemming is based at the University of York and is a co applicant on the IMPROVE study, the chair of the Homeless and Palliative Care National network and a long term research collaborator in this programme of work.
The Oak Foundation
The Oak Foundation funded Caroline and Briony to undertake the initial 2016 qualitative research, the development of training for hostel staff, the homelesspalliativecare.com toolkit and the twinning project that supported palliative care teams to do in-reach into homeless hostels.
St Mungo’s
St Mungo’s were the first homeless provider to have a palliative care coordinator, Peter Kennedy. Peter Kennedy was involved in the initial qualitative work, and had previously produced a palliative care and homelessness toolkit alongside Marie Curie.
In 2018 the findings from the research were used to update this toolkit to create homelesspalliativecare.com.
This was a collaboration between Peter Kennedy, Niamh Brophy (the St Mungo’s palliative care coordinator at the time), Caroline and Briony.
Providence Row
Providence Row Housing Association provide accommodation and support for people experiencing homelessness in East London.
Mary Kneafsey is Assistant Director of Client Services at Providence Row Housing Association, and has been an important partner on this programme of research. She supported the project twinning palliative care teams with hostels, and the research on frailty and homelessness. She continues to be a strong advocate for a person centred palliative care approach within her services.
St Joseph’s Hospice
St Joseph’s palliative care team supported the twinning project, by undertaking in-reach into hostels in Tower Hamlets, London. They also continue to support Providence Row in facilitating Death Cafe’s within hostels.
St Christopher’s Hospice
St Christopher’s palliative care team supported the twinning project, by undertaking in-reach into hostels in Croydon, London. They continue to support work with this population.
The Isla foundation
The Isla foundation provided funding to support Dr Rafi Rogans-Watson and Dr Natasha Palipane’s roles, in the homelessness and frailty research conducted in 2023.
The British Geriatric Society
The British Geriatric Society provided funding to support Dr Rafi Rogans-Watson and Dr Natasha Palipane’s roles in the homelessness and frailty research conducted in 2023.