Two talented nurses who work at St Giles Hospice have been selected for a prestigious national research programme, marking a significant achievement for the local charity.

Samantha Doody, Clinical Nurse Specialist (Prescriber) in the Community team, and Ruth Abell, Inpatient Unit Sister, are among the first cohort of nurses chosen for the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Researcher Development Programme for Social Care Nurses.

In a remarkable achievement, Samantha’s application was so strong that assessors upgraded her from the entry-level Champions programme to the more advanced Research Internship, recognising her exceptional commitment to research and motivation to make a difference in palliative care.

The year-long programme, which started at the beginning of October, gives both nurses one day a week to develop their research skills, with funding provided by NIHR. They receive formal training, expert mentorship and access to learning materials through the University of Liverpool.

This provides St Giles Hospice with two days per week of dedicated research nursing activity – a significant boost at a time when many hospices across the country have been forced to cut research posts due to financial pressures.

Cara Bailey, Professor of End of Life Care at St Giles Hospice and University of Birmingham, said: “We are so proud of both Sam and Ruth. To have two nurses selected for this prestigious programme in its inaugural year is a tremendous achievement for St Giles Hospice. This success means a great deal for our research ambitions and is an important step in building our research capacity. It demonstrates that we’re serious about becoming a centre of excellence for hospice research and ensuring our patients benefit from the very best evidence-based care.”

Samantha added: “I’m absolutely thrilled and still can’t quite believe I was upgraded to the Internship programme. It was such a surprise but I’m so excited to get stuck into the course and begin this journey. I’m really looking forward to working with the NIHR mentors, and to bringing what I learn back to benefit our patients in the community. This is an incredible opportunity to make a real difference.”

Ruth said: “I’m delighted to have this opportunity to develop my research skills and explore how we can continue to improve care for our patients and their loved ones. Research is so important in helping us understand what works best and why. I’m also really glad that Sam and I are doing this together – having that support and being able to share the experience will be invaluable.”

The success supports St Giles Hospice’s ambition to become an official university hospice, joining just four other hospices in the UK with this status. The move would position St Giles as a leading centre for hospice research in the West Midlands, ensuring patients across the region benefit from the latest evidence-based approaches to end of life care.

Both nurses attended their first training event in Leeds in early October, kicking off a year of learning. Later this month, they will attend the ‘Voices of Care: A Parliamentary Reception for Social Care Nursing’ at the House of Lords on 19th November – an event celebrating the contributions of adult social care nurses and their role in shaping the future of health and social care.