The APM is structured with various committees, each of which is responsible for overseeing distinct aspects of the organisation’s mission.
Please note, you can learn more about our Terms of Reference here:
Terms of Reference
APM Board & Committees
The APM Board is entrusted with the responsibility of managing the organisation’s day-to-day operations. This includes determining membership criteria, organising general meetings and study days, and engaging in negotiations with external organisations on behalf of the APM.
You can view our committees below too:
Scroll down to committees
Dr Sarah Cox
President
Dr Suzanne Kite
Vice President
Dr Matthew Doré
Honorary Secretary
Dr Natasha Wiggins
Treasurer
Dr Feargal Twomey
President Support
Georgina Bula
Compleat Secretariat
Committee Chairs
- Dr Suzie Gillon, Education and Training Committee
- Dr Angus Grant, Junior Committee
- Dr Ebun Abarshi, Clinical Quality Committee
- Dr Rosie Bronnert, Research and Ethics Committee
- Dr Ollie Minton, Communications Committee
- Dr Katie Jerram & Dr Paul Selway, SAS & Hospice Doctors Committee
- Dr Erin Kadodwala and Dr Sarah Foot, Trainee’s Committee
- Dr Jamilla Hussain, Race Equity Committee
- Dr Richard Scheffer and Dr Esraa Sulaivany, EDI Committee
- Dr Helen Bonwick, Workforce Committee
Elected Members
- Dr Aoife Gleeson, Wales Representative
- Dr Helen Bonwick, England Representative
- Dr Bernadette Brady, Republic of Ireland Representative
- Dr Matthew Doré, Northern Ireland Representative
- Dr Benoit Ritzenthaler, Board Member
- Dr Natasha Lovell, Board Member
Dr Sarah Cox – President
Sarah became President of the Association for Palliative Medicine in March 2023 after serving on the Board since 2019. She studied medicine in London, specialising in Palliative Medicine, and was appointed as a consultant at Royal Trinity Hospice and Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in 1998. Since March 2020, she has worked as a Palliative Medicine Consultant and Lead Medical Examiner at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital while also holding honorary positions at Imperial College London and Royal Hospital Chelsea.
In her various leadership roles, Sarah has achieved notable accomplishments, including securing recognition for Palliative Medicine as one of the 12 largest medical specialities in the RCP and establishing seven-day Specialist Palliative Care services. She chaired the APM Professional Standards Committee from 2013 to 2019, overseeing the annual FAMCARE audit.
Her current priorities include:
- Supporting workforce growth and valuing SAS doctors
- Boosting recruitment to the speciality using traditional and new methods
- Promoting diversity, inclusion, and engagement among members
- Improving communication with members and welcoming feedback.
Dr Suzanne Kite – Vice President
Suzanne is the Vice President of the Association for Palliative Medicine, and was appointed to this role in March 2023. Suzanne trained in Yorkshire and London before taking up a new Palliative Medicine acute hospital consultant post at Leeds Teaching Hospitals in 2000, becoming clinical lead in 2007. Early interests and involvement in APM medical education, ethics and professional development evolved into leadership roles, locally, regionally and nationally.
Quality improvement, collaborative multiprofessional working, and empowering clinical teams underpin all of these, and embedding best possible end of life care for all across a large acute trust based on several sites has been one of her greatest and most rewarding challenges. Participating in nationally funded pilots, including EPaCCS, was hugely beneficial in developing this approach.
Suzanne was Regional Palliative and EoLC Clinical lead/co-lead for the Yorkshire & the Humber for a number of years from 2014, and was co-clinical lead for the National Audit for Care at the End of Life from 2017-22. She continues to feel very fortunate in having excellent palliative care colleagues across Yorkshire and the UK and Ireland.
Outside work, yoga and meditation keep her sane, and teenagers, good food, books, boxsets and the Yorkshire Dales keep her happy.
Dr Matthew Doré – Honorary Secretary
Who is he? A question pondered by many, including himself. A genuine doctor, he initially dabbled in renal and immunology before finding his calling in palliative care training in the West Midlands. Sporting a near-bald head, he blames stress on his 10-year-old twins and feral 6-year-old child. His patient wife, Sharon, brought him to Northern Ireland, where he’s grown quite fond of the place.
He enjoys reading, writing, and solitude, though peace and quiet seem elusive. As pasta boils over and piano practice and Mario Kart fill the air, he finds solace in whisky. Proud of his accomplishments, such as making a top-notch chicken pie, chairing the PCC, co-leading the clinical ECHO, participating in ethics committees, and occasionally writing useful articles, he mainly cherishes that chicken pie. As Honorary Secretary, he wonders what could possibly go wrong.
Dr Natasha Wiggins – Treasurer
Introducing our new APM Treasurer, Natasha Wiggins.
Starting in October 2022, Natasha is a Palliative Medicine consultant at Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Her impressive leadership includes chairing the EOL guidelines and medicines group for the Integrated Care Board, leading the Digital EOL group, and heading an education programme for South West England paramedics. At her Trust, she built a palliative care team, established a clinical ethics committee, and managed budgets and charitable funds.
Natasha succeeds Derek Willis, who significantly supported membership growth. We expect her to excel as APM Treasurer, with a smoother handover than Kwasi to Jeremy. She resides in Oxfordshire’s first eco-village with her husband and children, aged 5 and 2.
Natasha shares, “I’m eager to take on this role – big shoes to fill, but it’s a chance for fresh eyes and new ideas. Thank you, Derek, for your stellar work and patience with my many questions.”
Education and Training Committee
This committee is tasked with coordinating the Association’s educational strategy and activities, ensuring that the educational needs of members and other professionals are met through:
- Comprehensive education programs, including both face-to-face and e-learning initiatives
- Production and distribution of educational resources
- Guiding members to relevant external events
Meet the Committee
- Suzie Gillon – Committee Chair
- Dr Amy Hawkins – Elected Member
- Dr Mary Miller – Elected Member
- Professor Paul Paes – Elected Member
- Dr Wendy Prentice – Elected Member
- Dr Jean Potter – Elected Member
- Dr Alice Pullinger – Elected Member
- Dr Felicity Dewhurst – Palliative Care Congress Representative
- Dr Polly Edmonds – SAC Representative
- Dr Yasmin Parkin – Junior’s Committee Representative
- Dr Elizabeth Woods – Trainee Committee Representative
- Dr Matthew Doré – APM Board, Honorary Secretary
- Dr Sarah Hanrott – e-ELCA Lead
- MunroSmith Associates – APM Event Organisers
Juniors Committee
APM Juniors is a group representing pre-speciality interest in palliative medicine, for medical students and doctors below ST3 level. We’re a part of the APM – the Association for Palliative Medicine of Great Britain and Ireland – which is an association for doctors who work in hospices and specialist palliative care units in hospitals.
Dr Angus Grant
Committee Chair
- Dr Eleanor Hendicott – Secretary
- Dr Thomas Lee – Communications Co-ordinator
- Dr Yasmin Parkin – Education Co-ordinator
- Dr Alice Rogers – Research Co-ordinator
- Dr Shawn Loh – Careers and Mentorship Co-ordinator
- Dr Alex Fox – Conference Co-ordinator
- Dr Rebecca Lucier – Medical Student Representative
If you want to stay up to date on the latest research, events, and more then keep an eye on the Juniors Newsletter.
Juniors Newsletter
Events and Resources
The APM also runs regular events for Junior medical professionals. You can find out more by following the link below.
Upcoming Events
Recordings
Juniors Education Resources
Free Medical Student Membership with the International Association for Hospice & Palliative Care
Are you interested in learning about the care of people with serious medical illnesses? The International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care is pleased to announce a free one-year membership to undergraduate college/university students of any discipline.
IAHPC membership benefits include:
Free unlimited on-line access and downloads for full text articles from leading palliative care journals
Free IAHPC monthly e-newsletters with updates on palliative care advances around the world
Free access to the IAHPC’s website with resources
The opportunity to participate in IAHPC’s global activities including global advocacy to improve access to palliative care treatment and care and projects on essential medicines and essential palliative care practices.
And many more!
About IAHPC
The International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care (IAHPC) is a not for profit organisation that works to improve the quality of life for adults and children with life-threatening conditions and their families, by advancing hospice and palliative care programs, education, research, and favourable policies around the world.
Comments
IAHPC Chair Prof. Lukas Radbruch commented: “The IAHPC provides today’s undergraduate students – the future professionals – the opportunity to learn and enhance their palliative care skills and knowledge.”
Executive Director Liliana De Lima said: “It’s exciting that undergraduate studies will be able to tap into the IAHPC resources and services. This will lead to increased awareness and earlier learning and understanding about palliative care.”
Ana Restrepo, IAHPC Operations Officer, said: “We look forward to working with the undergraduate student members and providing them with the support they need through our programs.”
For more information, visit the IAHPC website.
More links:
Find out more about e-ELCA and E-Learning
Learn more about e-LFH modules
Get Involved in Research as a Medical Student
Careers in Palliative Medicine 2020
APM/PCRS Palliative Care Research Directory
The field of palliative care research has grown considerably in the last few decades. It is a exciting time for clinicians and researchers in this area. We have collated contact details of palliative care research institutions and representatives across the UK in order to improve access for clinicians and students in accessing information about local palliative care research centres.
Click here to view the document
APM Juniors Twitter
Research and Ethics Committee
The Research and Ethics Committee supports the APM Board by providing counsel on the scientific foundation of Palliative Medicine.
The committee aims to develop a more prominent scientific profile for the speciality, establish priorities for new evidence, assist in the development of evidence-based guidelines and protocols, promote ethical research culture, explore and discuss ethical issues, and maintain communication with members and other medical ethics committees and organisations.
Dr Rosie Bronnert
Committee Chair
- Dr Guy Scofield, Elected member
- Dr Matthew Doré, Elected member
- Dr David Oxenham, Elected member
- Dr Donna Wakefield, Elected member
- Dr Katie Frew, Elected member
- Dr Christopher Doyle, Elected member
- Dr Rachel Davies, Trainee Representative
- Dr Gilli Erez, Elected Member
- Alice Rogers, Junior Research Representative
APM Positions Statement and Guidelines
Clinical Quality Committee
The APM Clinical Quality Committee, composed of six members, was formed in 2019 as an advisory committee to the APM Board. This committee was created through the amalgamation of the previous Professional Standards and Workforce Committees. The committee advises the Board and supports the work of the APM by:
- Promoting quality improvement initiatives, such as FAMCARE
- Sharing intelligence related to palliative care and medicine
- Encouraging the use of data, like dependency scores and outcome measures.
- Supporting the consultant workforce in providing clinical leadership
- Addressing matters related to the medical workforce.
- Overseeing processes and standards for medical appraisal and revalidation.
Dr Ebun Abarshi
Chair
- Dr Anna Grundy
- Dr Despoina-Elvira Karakitsiou
- Dr Suzanne Kite
- Dr Milind Arolker
FAMCARE
FAMCARE is an annual audit conducted by the APM since 2013. The audit consists of a survey sent to recently bereaved relatives or designated main carers, which assesses various aspects of the patient’s care.
The survey is completed 4-6 weeks after the patient’s death and returned to the APM for analysis. Participating services include hospital-based palliative care teams, hospice inpatient units, and home care teams specialising in end-of-life care. These services receive individual feedback and anonymous comparative data from other services.
Undergraduate Audit & Quality Improvement Prize
The Association for Palliative Medicine (APM) has instituted a clinical audit prize, where entrants submit a report of a clinical audit, quality improvement project, or service evaluation in which they’ve made a significant contribution.
SAS & Hospice Doctors Committee
The SAS & Hospice Doctors Committee represents the interests of SAS doctors to the APM Board through its chair. Other committee members support the chair in representing the group on other APM committees and providing guidance to SAS members on issues like appraisal, revalidation, and specialist accreditation. The committee also organises an annual study day and maintains the SAS section on the APM website.
Dr Katie Jerram
Co-Chair
Dr Paul Selway
Co-Chair
- Dr Beth Williams, Professional Standards Representative
- Dr Nicola Goss
- Dr Mary Ann Mahadevan, Committee member
- Dr Rebecca Maiti
- Dr Beth Goundry
SAS & Hospice Doctors Committee Roles and responsibilities
RCP SAS Strategy 2022 – 2024
BMA Resources
The BMA SAS joint negotiating committee has produced several resources to help employers assess current progress and develop an action plan to support the implementation and embedding of the Charter.
BMA SAS Charter
BMA Joint Negotiating Committee Statement
The SAS Charter Implementation Checklist
The SAS Charter Toolkit for England
The SAS Charter Implementation Toolkit For Wales
SAS and Hospice Doctors Resources
Guidance for approving speciality doctor posts
SAS Development and retention programme
APM SAS Members Survey Report
Support for APM members taking the SCE
Generic Development Guide
Spotlight on SAS doctors and LE doctors
It’s worth contacting your local deanery to find out whether funding is available for continuing education in your area.
Career development opportunities for SAS doctors
AoMRC support for SAS Doctors
RCP Educational Supervisor workshop
CESR (Certificate of Eligibility for Specialist Registration)
The Joint Royal Colleges of Physicians Training Board (JRCPTB) provides specialist physician training in the UK. Click here for further details on applying for a CESR.
Palliative Medicine CESR FAQs on applying to the Specialist Register for Palliative Medicine under Article 14 (CESR) route.
GMC Review of the Routes to Specialist Registration
Progression to Specialist
Trainees Committee
The APM Trainees’ Committee serves specialist registrars by providing representation, information gathering, and networking opportunities. The committee has a Facebook group, “APM Trainees,” which facilitates networking, social events, and discussions on training-related topics such as the SCE and eportfolio.
The Trainees’ Committee coordinates activities, represents trainees in other APM committees and the Specialty Advisory Committee, and provides regional representatives to offer assistance and gather information about regional variations.
To connect with the Trainees Committee, you can reach out through the following channels.
Email: APM Trainees
Twitter: @apm_trainees
Facebook: APM Trainees
You can also stay up to date by visiting the Trainees Newsletter by following the link below.
TRAINEES NEWSLETTER
Dr Erin Kadodwala
Co-Chair
Dr Sarah Foot
Co-Chair
- Dr Heledd Lewis, Regional Representative Co-ordinator
- Dr Anna Grundy, Clinical Quality Committee Representative
- Dr Emma McDonald, Communications Officer
- Dr Lizzie Woods, Education & Training Representative
- Dr Emily Holdsworth, SAC England
- Dr Jessica Gutjahr, SAC Northern Ireland & Wales
- Dr Ruth Yates, SAC Scotland
- Dr Isobel Morton, APMJ Liaison
- Dr Rachel Davies, Research & Ethics Rep
- Dr Rose O’Duffy, Curriculum Transition Rep
Trainees’ Roles and Responsibilities
Shape of Training: Delivering Palliative Medicine Training During Internal Medicine
Gold Guide 9th Edition
Guidance for Implementation
Palliative Medicine 2022 Curriculum
Palliative Medicine 2022 Decision Aid
Guidance for Implementation
Internal Medicine Stage 2 Decision Aid
Trainee Leaflets
Careers in Palliative Medicine
Getting into Palliative Medicine
About Palliative Medicine
JRCPTB Website
Curriculum
2014 Curriculum
ST4 Recruitment
Palliative Medicine
Wellbeing
Wellbeing Resources
ARCP Decision Aid
Palliative Medicine 2015 ARCP Decision Aid
Useful Clinical Links
Palliative Care Network Guidelines
PCF (Free for APM Members)
SCE
SCE Official Website
Official Practice Paper
JRCPPTB Guidance for SCE
Revision – Bank of 450 questions
Revision – St Gemma’s
Support for APM members taking the SCE
Palliative Medicine For HEE Regions
East Midlands
West Midlands
East of England
London/KSS
South West (Severn)
South West (Peninsula)
Thames Valley
Wessex
North Western
North Eastern
Scotland
Northern Ireland
Wales
Yorkshire & Humber
Mersey
Communications Committee
- Dr Mark Taubert
- Dr Amy Proffitt
We are here to develop overarching communications priorities and strategy, implementation of campaigns and to allow for evaluation and reporting on outputs and outcomes of these activities.
We also run the APM twitter account and associated Facebook pages @apmposttweets
We very much hope to disseminate best practice, research and enthusiasm for the speciality through a variety of channels & the updated website.
Equality Diversity and Inclusion Committee
Committee members:
- Dr Esraa Sulaivany (Co-Chair)
- Dr Richard Scheffer (Co-Chair)
- Dr Jessica Lee
- Dr Despoina-Elvira Karakitsiou
- Dr Emer McKenna
- Dr Fran Hakkak
Workforce Committee
Committee members
- Dr Helen Bonwick (Chair)
- Dr Benoit Ritzenthaler
- Dr Sandra McConnell
- Dr Milind Arolker
- Dr Laura Kelly
- Dr Sarah Radnedge
Night, Weekend, and Bank Holiday Specialist Palliative Care Services
We understand the transition from a specialist registrar or speciality doctor to a consultant can be a seismic change in anyone’s career. That’s why we put together this valuable resource with helpful tips and support for those seeking this exciting challenge.
The best types of support include local and new consultant programmes, clinical supervision, buddying and networking opportunities and much more.
Find out more here.
Dr Jamilla Hussain
Committee Chair
- Dr Qamar Abbas – Committee Member
- Dr Jasmine Lee – Committee Member
- Dr Karon Ornadel – Committee Member
- Dr Bhanjeek Grewal – Committee Member
The ‘Race’ Equity Committee (REC)
The REC was set up in 2020. There is currently 5 members on the committee with the capacity for 8. The 5 members include 2 palliative medicine consultants, 1 SAS doctor and 2 trainees, supported by members of the APM board.
The APM REC is an advisory committee to the APM Board formed in 2020, in the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd and increasing exposure of health inequities made apparent through the COVID-19 pandemic. The Committee advises the Board and supports the work of the APM on / by:
- Raising the profile on the need for collaborative and proactive work on anti-racism in palliative medicine
- Supporting the APM to ensure true inclusivity for patients and staff of all ethnicities and racialised minorities
- Supporting development of safe spaces for staff of all ethnicities and racialised minorities working in palliative care to come to together
- Through ongoing work supporting development of racially and culturally safe environments for palliative care patients and staff
Current activities:
- Analysing data from the first staff survey of experiences of racism in palliative care settings
- Establishment and delivery of Hospice UK ECHO for ethnic minority staff working in palliative care (in any role)
- Working with the APM Board and APM committees to ensure the needs of ethnic minority staff are considered through all work
Special Interest Forums
APM Undergraduate Medical Education
The Palliative Medicine Special Interest Forum for Undergraduate Medial Education is co-lead by Professor John Ellershaw (Liverpool) and Professor Stephen Barclay (Cambridge) and is open to everyone with an interest in teaching Palliative Care to medical students
Click here to visit our website for more information about the group.
APM Transition and Young Adult Palliative Care
The Special interest forum for Transition and young adult palliative care is led by Jo Elverson and is open to any clinician who is interested in the care of young adults with life-limiting conditions.
Click here to learn more about the group and find helpful links and resources.
Palliative care for the “Inbetweeners”
You may have seen the new report from NCEPOD looking at the quality of care of patients during the transition from children’s to adult services. This is particularly relevant to palliative medicine as over 40% of cases reviewed were identified as having a life-limiting condition. The report identifies the lack of clear transition pathway, the fragmented communication between services, and the need for patient-centred planning which is appropriate to the individual’s developmental stage.
The overwhelming message of the report is that Transition is everybody’s business! Whether we occasionally form part of the MDT around a young person or regularly take a lead role in their care, we all need to look at how we can contribute to improving the experience of transition.
If you want to learn more: Together for Short Lives have recently updated their guidance for transition to adult services for people with life-limiting conditions.
APM Neurological Palliative Care
The group was established to encourage the development of palliative care for people with progressive neurological disease. Group members receive updates about education, guidelines and research with opportunities for participation shared as they arise. The group also provides a forum for discussion of challenging cases and the chance to be involved in study days.
New members are welcome – please contact the SIF lead, Dr Jon Martin
APM Postgraduate Medical Education
The Palliative Medicine Special Interest Forum for Postgraduate Medial Education is co-ordinated by Dr Mary Miller (Oxford University Hospital Trust) and Dr Suzie Gillon (Leeds Teaching Hospital Trust) and is open to any doctor interested in the provision of postgraduate medical education.
Click here to view our Education resources
APM Academic Trainee SIF
This SIF is a resource for academic trainees in Palliative Medicine for example Academic Clinical Fellows (ACF), Clinical Lecturers or equivalent and for those undertaking PhDs in the UK and Ireland. It would include doctors currently in internal medicine training in run-through palliative medicine ACF or equivalent posts.
Other palliative medicine doctors such as SAS and consultants would be eligible to be part of the forum if they are undertaking formal research training such as a research Masters / PhD or can support the aim of the group of supporting early career clinical academics.
Potentially membership would extend to other pre-specialty academic trainees or GP trainees undertaking research in palliative care. Allied healthcare professionals with associate membership would also be included if they are in a specific training pathway alongside their academic work, or research Masters / PhD or can support the aim of the group of supporting early career clinical academics.
It is a forum for peer support, networking, sharing of work and any other ideas members would find beneficial.
Leads:
For further information or to join, please feel free to contact any of the leads by email.