HRB Collaborative Research Network

The All Ireland Institute of Hospice and Palliative Care’s (AIIHPC) Palliative Care Research Network (PCRN) has received infrastructure support funding of €1m over 5 years from the Health Research Board and Health and Social Care R&D Division, Public Health Agency. This funding was announced by the HRB on Monday 21 July 2025 see link here HRB invests a further €2 million in collaborative research | HRB | Health Research Board.

AIIHPC would like to acknowledge and thank the co-applicants and collaborators from AIIHPC’s member organisations and key stakeholders who supported the development of this proposal that was submitted in June 2024 on invitation from the HRB to HRB Collaborative Research Network Call in Palliative Care.

This funding will be used to support the continued development of AIIHPC PCRN up to 2030 and will directly support PCRN and Early Career Researcher Forum (ECRF) members within your organisation with capacity building and career development, membership support, PPI, collaboration, research support and knowledge translation with access to the following.

PCRN International Fellowship Awards

  • 3 awards each year with 15 awards in total
  • Open call for PCRN members who are in their mid-stage career within AIIHPC member organisations where an international visit would enhance their research and professional development

ECRF North/South Fellowship Awards

  • 3 awards each year with 15 awards in total
  • Open call for ECRF members at 2/3 years post PhD who are postdoctoral research staff in academic institutions or clinical staff within clinical sites within AIIHPC member organisations

ECRF Bursaries

  • 6 awards each year with 30 awarded in total
  • Open call to ECRF members registered for a PhD in palliative care on island of Ireland within AIIHPC member organisations

Research Special Interest Groups

  • 3 existing groups in Technology and Palliative Care, Dementia and Palliative Care, and Psychological, Social and Spiritual Care which continue to be supported. These groups provide a collaborative space for researchers to develop their research involving health and social care professionals, policy makers, PPI contributors with facilitated meetings and dedicated collaborative areas on The Learning Platform.
  • Additional 8 new groups to be established in PCRN and ECRF members prioritised focus areas with two new groups to be established within 2025.

Community of Practice for Clinical Site Research

  • A Community of Practice for Clinical Site Research to be established in Q4 2025 to support the involvement of clinical sites, hospice and specialist palliative care providers, with PCRN members. The Community of Practice will provide the opportunities for facilitated discussions on key clinical issues, opportunities for PCRN members to share research evidence (if available) to address issues, identify research priorities and support development of clinical-academic research collaborations and multi-site studies.

Dedicated Palliative Hub Research Site

  • A dedicated standalone ‘The Palliative Hub – Research’ website, building on the existing Research Zone on The Palliative Hub Professional . The website will be supported and sustained by AIIHPC to promote members’ research with dedicated research study pages, blogs, podcasts, links to members’ publications, events section, research and PPI support, webinar, workshop and symposia video recordings.

Dedicated Membership Support

  • AIIHPC PCRN Project Manager (part-time) will support members, promote research and co-ordinate work activities to strengthen and expand collaboration including facilitating PCRN and ECRF webinars and involving PPI contributors across the research cycle.

Dedicated Research Support and Knowledge Translation

  • AIIHPC Research Support and Knowledge Translation Lead (full-time) to enable and support members and knowledge users on all research cycle activities including research design, delivery and impact of research outputs on policy and practice, expert topic webinars, research study pages, blogs, policy and practice briefs, case studies; and by facilitating research Special Interest Groups and Community of Practice for Clinical Site Research.

2025 All Ireland Palliative Care Research Priorities with James Lind Alliance

  • Within 2025, AIIHPC will lead on developing the All Ireland Palliative Care Research Priorities for 2025 and beyond, which is an update of the priorities developed in 2015. In developing the priorities, AIIHPC will bring together people with palliative care needs, carers and health and social care professionals with the James Lind Alliance Priority Setting Partnership in collaboration with Marie Curie UK
  • The priorities will be launched at Annual PCRN Symposium November 2025 and used to inform funders and key stakeholders’ future investment in palliative care research.

Annual PCRN Symposium

  • Host the Annual PCRN Symposium on key interest areas for PCRN and ECRF members with free access and networking opportunities with national and international topic experts, health and social care professionals, service providers, policymakers, funders, and PPI contributors through AIIHPC Voices4Care
  • The symposium is a showcase for PCRN and ECRF members’ research through open abstract call for oral and poster presentations at each event, where participants will include policymakers from Departments of Health and the HSE and Public Health Agency, and funders from HRB, HSC R&D, PHA, and other stakeholders facilitated by AIIHPC.

If you have any queries about any of the above or would like more information, please contact AIIHPC Research Programme Manager, Dr Mary Rabbitte at mrabbitte@aiihpc.org.

We look forward to an exciting, innovative and impactful times for AIIHPC’s PCRN to ensure excellent palliative care is available for everyone at the right time and place across the island of Ireland.