The research cluster Health Services Research in Nursing and Midwifery was established in 2004 as the focus of interdisciplinary research and research training in the School of Nursing and Midwifery leading to its first return in the research assessment exercise in RAE2008. We are committed to delivering relevant, high quality research in two key thematic areas producing impact that will underpin nursing and midwifery practice, inform health care policies and ultimately result in real benefit to patients.

The School supports research around two central themes:

• Maternal and Child Health
• Cancer Nursing, Supportive and Palliative Care
   

Maternal and Child Health 
Theme co-ordinator:  Prof Fiona Alderdice

The maternal and child health research theme, is a multi-disciplinary theme which focuses on high risk groups in pregnancy, childbirth, infancy and childhood. There are two central strands of work, maternity care research and child health research, which have been developed using a comprehensive approach ranging from study of the health of populations to the health of individuals and the care that they receive and require.

Cancer Nursing, Supportive and Palliative Care  
Theme co-ordinator. Prof Sam. Porter

The theme aims to illuminate the experiences of cancer survivors and patients requiring palliative care, their informal carers and their professional carers, with a view to improving the experience of both survivorship and palliation whilst providing a sound evidence base for care. The theme also seeks to develop a research continuum from bench to bedside through the development of co-ordinated research projects. This programme of research has focused on the following key areas:

• Cachexia and fatigue
• Care of children
• Survivorship
• End of life care