I am pleased to present to you the International Collaborative’s Annual Review for 2020/21.
2021 has again been dominated by the global pandemic, leading to the postponement of the Collaborative’s Summer School and Annual Symposium. However, the Executive Committee, supported by the Collaborative members, have continued to work hard to deliver the ambitious objectives set last November, and the detail of this report is testament to the significant achievements of the past year. Of note is the success of our first ‘virtual’ Research Thinktank in June 2021, attended by 45 members, which facilitated the sharing of research and also the creation of ideas for future projects. Based on this success, we now plan to hold a research think tank on an annual basis, with the next one planned for February 2022. I hope as many members as possible will attend.
Another new development for 2021 has been the introduction of quarterly webinars covering important aspects in care for the dying. These webinars have been very successful, attracting around 120 attendees. A big thank you to all those who have contributed to this new way of engaging members and the wider health care community.
The Collaborative continues to potentiate and develop its research portfolio and position itself as the world leader in care for the dying research, with work continuing on our two major international research projects. The ERANet-LAC CODE group, under the leadership of Prof Dagny Faksvåg Haugen, is now publishing its important findings, while the international iLIVE project led by Professor Agnes van der Heide is moving into its third year. Its cohort study is the most ambitious study ever undertaken on care for the dying, and the focus is now on recruiting 2,000 participants.
We have now established two International Collaborative Reference Centres in Norway and Argentina with more under development in Spain, India and Portugal. Overall, 15 organisations have had their clinical documentation assessed for congruence with the 10/40 Model. The 10/40 Model itself is underpinned by a comprehensive Quality Improvement Framework containing a wide range of guidance documents and templates, which is available on the Collaborative’s website at www.bestcareforthedying.org/tools-and-resources.
As always, our success is down to the hard work of our Project Group Leads and the sustained input of energy and expertise from our Executive Committee and Facilitator Network. My sincere thanks go to each of these groups for their invaluable contributions, and to the Coordinating Centre staff who maintain the communication and focus in between our annual meetings. Lastly, my thanks to you, the Collaborative members. Together, we are the global focus for improving care for dying people and I look forward to working with you all and hopefully seeing you in 2022.
Yours faithfully,
Professor John Ellershaw
Chair of the International Collaborative for Best Care for the Dying Person
November 2021