A University of Ulster academic has welcomed the launch of four Clinical Research Fellowships worth €10,000 each for health and social care professionals.

Dr Sonja McIlfatrick is Head of Research at the All Ireland Institute of Hospice and Palliative Care (AIIHPC), the organisation that launched the Fellowships today.

She said: “AIIHPC is laying the foundations for a more collaborative and strategic approach to research on the island of Ireland with the recent establishment of the Structured Research Network.

“One of the Network’s key aims is to develop research capacity in palliative and end of life care with the ultimate goal of improving the palliative care experience for users, cares and the community.”

The short-term Fellowships are open to health and social care professionals (including physicians, nurses, pharmacists, physiotherapists, social workers, psychologists, etc), working in clinical practice in the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland.

The Fellowships will assist individuals to undertake a small-scale research project or activity in one of the following areas relevant to palliative care:

Symptoms / symptom management

Psychosocial support for patients and/or carers

Research focused on specific groups and populations

Health service research

Research informing policy and practice.

The closing date for applications is 4pm on Monday, July 1 2013 with full details at www.aiihpc.org. Ideally, applicants will be in a position to commence by 1st October 2013 and complete the work within 12 months.

AIIHPC is an all island organisation comprised of a consortium of partner organisations - hospices, health care agencies and universities, including the University of Ulster, all working to improve the experience of supportive, palliative and end-of-life care on the island of Ireland. (www.aiihpc.org).

Information about the Clinical Research Fellowships may be accessed via www.aiihpc.org/research or by contacting the Programme Manager Research, Dr Tara Murphy (tmurphy@aiihpc.org).