Help for the hospice

Here, for the first time, she details her winning project – which may change the way oral care is delivered in a hospice setting.

Project aims

The award and this project mean a lot to me as I am aware that the oral health of patients in hospices is often not so much a primary priority as it is a peripheral concern. Though not surprising, this is disappointing as oral health can significantly impact upon an individual's quality of life.

Through my project I hope to identify where oral care stands in the priority list within palliative care by engaging with patients, their families and carers and hospice staff, to gain a patient centred perspective. Accessing this information isn't always easy to achieve due to the barriers that are present within such a setting. Selection processes often mean patient involvement is low, which can both limit and interfere with results. I hope that by using innovative digital technologies to collect information this may enable a more inclusive approach.