Working in partnership to improve Palliative and End of Life Care.
The Policy Research Unit is undertaking a core programme of policy research, informed by current and future needs of patients and their families/carers. The Policy Research Unit has a Rapid Response facility that delivers timely, high- quality evidence summaries tailored to policymakers' needs. The Policy Research Unit delivers findings directly to users of the research (particularly policymakers) through a range of outputs including policy briefings, reports and academic papers, workshops, public events (in person and online) and symposia.
The Policy Research Unit is a collaboration - co-led by Hull York Medical School at the University of Hull and King's College London - working with the International Observatory on End of Life Care at Lancaster University, and partners from other universities.
Professor Fliss Murtagh, with Professor Katherine Sleeman from King's College London, co-leads the Policy Research Unit in Palliative and End of Life Care.
This is an excellent opportunity to deliver robust policy-related evidence to inform policy and improve care for those with advanced illness and their families.
£2 million funding boost for palliative care research
19 June 2026
The Wolfson Palliative Care Centre have welcomed further funding to support research aimed at improving access to high-quality care for adults and children with life-limiting illnesses.
The NIHR Policy Research Unit in Palliative and End of Life Care (PRU) supports policymakers with timely, relevant and accessible evidence to improve care standards and address inequalities in access to care.
Initially funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) for three years from January 2024 to December 2026, the PRU has now been awarded an extra £2m funding for a further two years until December 2028.
Professor Fliss Murtagh, Director of the Wolfson Palliative Care Research Centre, Hull York Medical School at the University of Hull and Co-Director of the PRU said: “Since its launch, the PRU has delivered robust, policy-relevant evidence improving our understanding of how palliative care is delivered and where gaps remain.
“We know that our systems are not meeting the needs of a growing older population at the end of their lives. High-quality timely palliative care not only improves quality of life for patients and their families but also reduces pressure on overstretched acute services.
“We welcome this further investment to ensure that policymakers have the evidence they need to reduce inequalities and end the postcode lottery in access to care so that babies, children and adults – and those close to them – receive the high-quality compassionate support they deserve at the end of their lives.”
More information on the NIHR website