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

Reverend Peter Speck BSc MA
Researcher & Former Health Care Chaplain, Honorary
Senior Lecturer
Peter graduated with a first degree in Biochemistry and
zoology before studying for an MA in Theology. His
thesis focused on the Theological Aspects of Visiting in
Times of Illness. Following a position in a Parish Ministry
in North Wales and then hospital chaplain in Sheffield,
Peter became Chaplain and Honorary Senior Lecturer
(medical ethics) at the Royal Free Hospital in London. He
was Trust Chaplaincy Team Leader for Southampton
University NHS Trust until 2002. Currently Visiting Fellow
(Faculty of Medicine) at Southampton University and
Honorary Senior Lecturer, King’s College London
(Palliative Care, Policy & Rehabilitation), Peter is author
of several books on pastoral care, chapters on aspects
of palliative care, and spiritual care and bereavement.
He was a member of the Editorial Board of Palliative
Medicine and served on the Editorial Board of NICE
producing “Supportive Care in Palliative Care”
Guidance. He is a Fellow and Member of the Council of
Palliative Care section of the Royal Society of Medicine.
His research interests include belief systems and
whether they influence outcomes in illness or ageing,
with several peer reviewed papers published.
Frances Stewart BSc
Research Assistant
Frances graduated from Sheffield University in
2004 with a 2:1 in Psychology. She then worked as a
Research Assistant for the University of Sheffield where
her main role was developing a disease-specific 'Quality
of Life' questionnaire for use in young adults with
Growth Hormone Deficiency. Her other research areas
have included studying the impact of Cancer on
childhood and adolescence Quality of Life.
Following the completion of this study Frances joined
King’s College London as a research assistant in 2007.
Currently her main area of research is a study to evaluate
the success and barriers to the implementation of a Gold
Standard Framework in care homes to improve palliative
and end-of-life care.
Laura Skingle
Research Assistant
Laura studied for her BSc in Psychology & Human
Biology at University College Northampton and was later
awarded an MSc in Health Psychology from the University
of Bath in 2005. Whilst there Laura undertook a
placement at the Royal Marsden Hospital in Sutton to
study the impact of maternal breast cancer on children’s
social and adaptive functioning. The research was
undertaken in the context of an international multicentre
research project entitled “Children of Somatically Ill
Parents (COSIP)”.
Laura joined the Department of Palliative Care, Policy &
Rehabilitation at King’s College London School of
Medicine as a Research Assistant in July 2007. Her main
focus of research is “Improving End of Life Care for the
Elderly at the Hospital Community Interface: An A&E
Audit”. This research will involve understanding the
patterns of emergency department admission for the
elderly with palliative care needs including if admissions
to emergency departments are preventable for this
population. The project is funded by Guy’s & St Thomas’
Charity & King's College Hospital Charity.
Frances Stewart
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