Richardson, Alison

Objectives: Capture change in family members' experiences as they look after patients during chemotherapy, and understand variability in their needs for support. Methods: Longitudinal digitally-recorded qualitative semi-structured interviews with family carers at the beginning, mid-point, and end of treatment. Twenty-five family members (17 women, 8 men), mean age 53, were interviewed. Fifteen participants were supporting a relative having chemotherapy with curative intent, and 10 a patient receiving palliative chemotherapy.

Objective: To identify, characterise and explain common and specific features of the experience of treatment burden in relation to patients living with lung cancer or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and their informal caregivers.; Design: Systematic review and interpretative synthesis of primary qualitative studies.

Background: Carers of people with advanced cancer play a significant role in managing pain medication, yet they report insufficient information and support to do so confidently and competently. There is limited research evidence on the best ways for clinicians to help carers with medication management. Aims: To develop a pain medicines management intervention (Cancer Carers Medicines Management) for cancer patients’ carers near the end of life and evaluate feasibility and acceptability to nurses and carers.