2004 - 2007 - Cicely Saunders Institute - King's College London

Sian Best BA
Department Administrator
Sian has a BA Hons from the University of Warwick.
After spending a year in postgraduate teacher training,
she decided that she would prefer a career in publishing.
She has worked mainly in publishing, initially in
marketing and public relations, and then as a picture
researcher and picture editor for national newspapers
and magazines. She was also a company secretary. She
joined King’s College London part time in 2005, helping
to organise a series of conferences for the Social Care
Workforce Research Unit, and moved to the Department
of Palliative Care, Policy & Rehabilitation in July 2005.
She is responsible for the administration of the MSc, PG
Diploma and PG Certificate in Palliative Care. There are
currently 49 students enrolled on the course. Sian is also
responsible for the administration of research grants,
financial transactions including purchasing, and for the
general administration of the department.
Dr Sara Booth FFARCSI and FRCP
Honorary Senior Lecturer
Sara joined the Department in 2003 as an Honorary
Senior Research Fellow, becoming an Honorary Senior
Lecturer in Palliative Care in 2006. She is a Lead Clinician
at Cambridge University NHS Hospitals Foundation Trust
where she was appointed to set up a multi-disciplinary
palliative care service. Sara has had an interest in
breathlessness since her first post in palliative care at St
Christopher’s Hospice in 1991 and has researched the
topic of clinical management of breathlessness since
then. This work led to the development of a Breathlessness
Intervention Service at Addenbrooke’s which started
seeing patients in 2003 and led to the collaboration with
Professor Irene Higginson at King’s College London to
research its effectiveness. During 2006/7 she has been
the holder of a SuPaC Award to help develop her skills in
clinical trials and research.
Toki Allison
Secretary / Transcriber
After working in both the care and service industries,
Toki gained a Foundation Degree in Media Practice at
the London College of Communication, University of the
Arts. She joined the department in August 2007 to assist
as transcriber and secretary, specifically assigned to aid
those researching the effects of the Gold Standards
Framework for Care Homes.
Dr Sara Booth
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