Professor Peter Hudson, Chair, and Professor Gunn Grande, Co-Chair, The International Palliative Care Family Carer Research Collaboration (IPCFRC) European Association for Palliative Care (EAPC) Reference Group, introduce the work of one of the EAPC’s newest reference groups.
Professor Gunn Grande and Professor Peter Hudson.
A core tenet of palliative care is that family carers should be offered optimal support from health and social care professionals. A new EAPC Reference Group on Family Carers – The International Palliative Care Family Carer Research Collaboration (IPCFRC) received official status in 2019 and aims to:
- Promote the development of high-quality research and scholarship to improve the wellbeing of family carers supporting patients towards the end of life.
- Provide a platform for international networking and collaboration.
Being formally recognized as an EAPC reference group is a major step forward for collaboration and awareness related to family carer related research. The EAPC is arguably one of the most influential palliative care entities in the world and this therefore allows for greater opportunities and exposure.
The reference group will focus on:
- Providing a platform for international networking and collaboration.
- Contributing to content within EAPC e-newsletters.
- Seeking opportunity to host family carer seminars and meetings at EAPC congresses.
- Developing an agreed upon core set of recommended outcome measures related to family carers.
Background
The IPCFRC was established in 2006 to promote research into evidence-based support for family carers of palliative care patients by fostering interdisciplinary and international research, establishing international partnerships and promoting information exchange.
The IPCFRC operates under the auspices of the European Association of Palliative Care and has been administered (“in kind”) by the Centre for Palliative Care (part of St Vincent’s Hospital and a Collaborative Centre of the University of Melbourne, Australia).
Achievements thus far
The IPCFRC has over 280 registered members from 36 countries of the world, including: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, India, Iran, Ireland, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Spain, Sweden, South Africa, Thailand, UK and USA. Membership of the IPCFRC is free and is open to individuals and organisations around the world. Members are able to stay informed of sector news via the IPCFRC quarterly e-newsletter. To join as a member and/or subscribe to the newsletter, click here.
Since its inception, the IPCFRC has facilitated international collaborations and produced several key publications (https://www.centreforpallcare.org/page/104/resources-publications). The IPCFRC has also promoted family carer research in the field by hosting presentations, seminars and meetings at major international palliative care conferences such as the EAPC and the International Congress on Palliative Care (Canada). The IPCFRC was instrumental in the inception of the EAPC family carer taskforce (2010).
For any further information including about how to become a member please see our new web page on the EAPC website.
More about the authors…
Professor Peter Hudson is the Director of Centre for Palliative Care, St Vincent’s Hospital & The University of Melbourne, Australia and Honorary Professor, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium.
Professor Gunn Grande is Professor of Palliative Care, The University of Manchester, UK. Follow Gunn Grande @gunn_grande
Links
- The International Palliative Care Family Carer Research Collaboration (IPCFRC) Association for Palliative Care (EAPC) Reference Group.
- Click here to find information on other EAPC task forces and references groups, including how to apply to set up a group.
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