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World's First Institute of Palliative Care | 3 Desmond Tutu meets students | 7 Profile: Professor Alan Read | 10 Graduating in style | 25 Media watch CommentThe College newsletter Issue no 192 | June 2010 World’s first Institute of Palliative Care JULIAN ANDERSON Professor Irene Higginson OBE, Director of the Cicely Saunders Institute of Palliative Care, talks to patient Irene Mead. THE WORLD’S FIRST PURPOSE-BUILT the research and improvement care is given to the dying. It enhancing quality of life for the Institute of Palliative Care at of services into end of life care, will bring together, for the first patient, and on supporting the the Denmark Hill Campus at wherever patients are cared for. time in one building, clinicians, family and those close to them. King’s was opened by The King’s and Cicely Saunders educators and researchers in Palliative care seeks to support Princess Royal, Chancellor of International have combined palliative care, together with and value the whole person, the University of London, on 5 forces to create a world-class facilities for patients and carers. paying careful attention to May. It is the only organisation research and care Institute which Palliative care focuses in the world solely dedicated to will improve the way in which on relieving symptoms and continued on page 2 News World’s first Institute of Palliative Care JULIAN ANDERSON Fact file The building: • was designed by architects Loates-Taylor Shannon and has already won a BREEEM award for its environmental features. • comprises 1,800 sqm of floor space on three floors plus a roof garden. • will house around 100 researchers, academics and clinicians, rising to over 200 with students, patients and carers. • features innovative art works and installations by artists Caroline McCarthy and Tanya Kovats, commissioned by the Contemporary Art Society. The Princess Royal and Dr Claudia Bausewein, Department of Palliative Care, talk to patient Christine Burchill and her carer Graham Martin. continued from page 1 billion people within 10 years of years ago. Cicely is recognised opening. Our aim is to improve the world over as the founder of physical, emotional, social and the way that dying people are the modern hospice movement. spiritual needs. Its purpose is to cared for and make a decent Our challenge is to ensure that affirm life and to regard dying quality of life attainable, even at we fulfil Cicely’s mission which as a normal process, neither to the end of life.’ in her words is “to ensure that hasten death nor prolong life. The Institute will facilitate patients and families feel they closer co-operation between matter, even at the end of life”.’ academics and clinicians in The cost of the building, £10 Enhance palliative palliative care and related million, has been raised mainly care worldwide and disciplines from a wide range of from philanthropic sources local, national and international through the efforts of King’s and influence the lives of organisations, ensuring academic Cicely Saunders International. one billion people developments in research and Donors include the Wolfson education directly translate to Foundation, the Garfield Weston The Cicely Saunders Institute of Palliative clinical care quickly to benefit Foundation and the Dinwoodie Care at the King's Denmark Hill Campus. Irene Higginson, Director of patients and families. It will also (1968) Settlement, who each the Cicely Saunders Institute, provide opportunities to train gave £1 million. Macmillan King’s College Hospital are Professor of Palliative Care healthcare professionals from Cancer Support has given part of King’s Health Partners. and internationally renowned the UK and overseas, thereby £1 million for an information King’s Health Partners Academic expert in the field, explains the increasing the skill base and and support centre within the Health Sciences Centre is a global vision behind the Institute: ‘We disseminating knowledge. building for patients, carers and collaboration between one of will promote collaboration and The Institute embraces the professionals. The Department of the world’s leading research-led integration of research, teaching, objectives and philosophy of Heath has also given £1 million. universities and three of London’s and clinical activities on a scale palliative and hospice care. It Working within the Cicely NHS Foundation Trusts. never before achieved. This has been named in honour of Saunders Institute is the well- Also at the opening a report, will include user involvement to Dame Cicely Saunders. John established multidisciplinary Spiritual care recommendations promote evidence-based practice, McGrath, Chairman of the Board clinical palliative care team at for people from Black and minority and research and teaching driven of Trustees at Cicely Saunders King’s College Hospital NHS ethic groups receiving palliative by the needs of patients, families International, spoke at the Foundation Trust. The team is care in the UK, which includes a and clinical concerns. opening of the Institute, saying: now based within the Institute, forward by Archbishop Tutu, was ‘We will enhance palliative care ‘Today, we are moving a step facilitating improved integration launched. These recommendations worldwide and seek to influence forward in the historic journey with the academic department. aim to fill a crucial gap in current the lives of an estimated one that Dame Cicely started over 60 King’s College London and policy guidance. 2 | Comment | June 2010 | www.kcl.ac.uk News Tutu meets King’s students BRIAN RUSSELL ARCHBISHOP DESMOND TUTU, inactivity’. Instead she followed Nobel Peace Laureate, Fellow what she considered to be her and alumnus, made an address divine calling to be a nurse and to a congregation of 2,000 pioneered their training. nurses, midwives, students and Archbishop Tutu went on to healthcare professionals at a praise the work of nurses calling memorial service at Westminster their work ‘utterly indispensible’. Abbey on 12 May to celebrate Students from the Florence the life and work of Florence Nightingale School of Nursing & Nightingale in the centennial year Midwifery, featured heavily in the of her death. service, which was attended by Florence Nightingale opened Professor Anne Marie Rafferty, The Nightingale Training Head of School, and opened School, from which the Florence with a piece composed by John Nightingale School of Nursing & Browne, the School’s composer Midwifery is directly descended, in residence. Nursing students on 9 July 1860 at St Thomas’ met Archbishop Tutu for tea prior Hospital. Archbishop Tutu said: to the service and participated King’s Nursing & Midwifery students meet Archbishop Tutu for tea prior to the service. ‘As a King’s man, I am thrilled in the Procession of the Lamp, and proud that the School she a symbolic part of the service also wore prototype uniforms 21st century nurse and midwife. opened at St Thomas’s Hospital where a replica of the lamp designed as part of a collaboration The chosen designs, by LCF is now part of my alma mater as used by Florence Nightingale with London College of Fashion student Pandora Howard- the Florence Nightingale School in the Crimean War is carried (LCF). The project gave second- Griffin, were then made up as of Nursing & Midwifery.’ by a scholar of the Nightingale year students from the BA a small professionally produced In his address Archbishop Foundation and passed between Fashion Design and Development collection just for the service. Tutu spoke of how Florence nurses to represent the passing of degree at LCF a brief to develop See page 17 for a Focus on the Nightingale ‘bucked the knowledge from nurse to nurse. new design proposals fit for the Florence Nightingale School of system that expected a life of Students from the School challenges and demands of the Nursing & Midwifery. Principal’s column GREG GREG FUNNELL Dear colleagues dispute, but there is much distinguished and long-standing professionals and spoke of how Since I last wrote, the country common ground between the friends of the College have met Florence Nightingale ‘bucked has elected a new Government, unions and management with staff and students recently. the system’. As ever, he referred and it remains to be seen when, and I am hopeful that we will be It was a great privilege for in glowing terms to his time how deeply and in which able to face the challenges Professor Irene Higginson and studying at King’s. directions it will cut public of the years ahead in a spirit I to give HRH The Princess Finally, on a very sad note, sector spending. We await with of co-operation. Royal, Chancellor of the along with many colleagues interest the impact of our new We have now completed University of London, a guided and students, I attended the Government and the plans consultation on the plans of tour of the Cicely Saunders memorial service for Haris of David Willetts, the new most of the Schools of the Institute of Palliative Care Ahmed, a medical student Minister of State for Universities College, most recently that which the Chancellor officially whose life was tragically cut and Science. of the School of Arts & opened on 5 May at a ceremony short in a road accident near We are already making tough Humanities. I am very pleased at which the Chairman also Guy’s. He was, by all accounts, decisions in order to protect and that it has successfully made the spoke. A week later, I attended a an exceptional young man enhance the College in the face necessary 10 per cent savings memorial service at Westminster whose sense of decency, service of cutbacks already announced, over two years while avoiding Abbey to celebrate the life and and hard work exemplified the so, along with other Vice- compulsory redundancies. The work of Florence Nightingale in very best virtues that we aspire Chancellors and Principals, I School will continue to be one the centennial year of her death.
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