Inequalities in end-of-life care: The magnifying effect of COVID-19

Claude Chidiac is the Lead Nurse for Palliative Care at Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, and Visiting Lecturer at City, University of London. Claude has assumed a variety of academic and clinical roles in acute, hospice, and community settings in the UK and internationally. Claude’s current work focuses on improving palliative care access and provision for marginalised populations. His PhD research explores the experiences of LGBT+ people with dementia, and their needs and preferences about the end-of-life. Claude has been involved in a number of national and international consultations to support and provide expert advice to organisations about delivering affirmative care for LGBT+ people.

A GP Partner in Leeds, Trustee of two local health related charities – Feel Good Factor and St Gemma’s hospice, RCGP Yorkshire board – also informing the RCGP BAME task group and weekly health talk with music radio show host at Fever FM 107.3.

Particular interests include End of Life Care, GP resilience, Medical Education and Digital Health.

Once described as a “Tour D’Force” - continuing the journey in tackling health inequalities for local communities, striving to level the playing field for BAME groups and advocating leading from any seat.  As a result, in mid-2020 founded and at the helm of the BAME Primary Care Leeds network recently published in the BMJ.

A coffee connoisseur, avid Tweeter (@beingmo) and tries to practice what he preaches by keeping active, mainly at the gym.

Sabrina Bajwah is a Clinical Senior Lecturer at King’s College London and an Honorary Consultant in Palliative Care. Dr Bajwah has been a member of the NICE Quality Standards Committee for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis and has also been a member of the Emergency Oxygen Guideline Group for the British Thoracic Society and Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis clinical and research advisory committees for the British Lung Foundation. She now works clinically within the palliative care team at King’s Health Partners, London and runs an interstitial lung disease palliative care clinic in the UK whilst continuing to drive forward respiratory palliative care research. Her other main areas of research interest are different models of palliative care and has recently completed a Cochrane Review on the Effectiveness of Inpatient Palliative Care. She continues to drive forward Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in all aspects of her clinical and academic work.

Dr Andrew Thorns was first employed by Pilgrims Hospices as a consultant in August 2000 in a joint post with East Kent Hospitals. He became medical director at Pilgrims in 2015 balancing his leadership and clinical commitments.

Pilgrims has a strong tradition of medical training with 15 GP ST2s coming through the hospice each year and 3 specialist trainees. We are especially excited by the first intake into the new Kent and Medway Medical School.

Andrew strongly believes in the importance of research and skilled communication to improve patient care. He is therefore proud of Pilgrims’ research pedigree and enjoys his role as an advanced communication skills facilitator.