Irene J Higginson MD PhD is Professor of Palliative Care and Policy and Head of the Department of Palliative Care and Policy, King’s College, London. She qualified in medicine from Nottingham University, and has worked in wide-ranging medical and university positions, including radiotherapy and oncology, in-patient and home hospice care, at the Department of Health (England) and various universities. Her research interests and publications are in the following areas: quality of life and outcome measurements; evaluation of palliative care (especially of new services and interventions); epidemiology; clinical audit; effectiveness; psychosocial factors and care; symptom assessment; cachexia and anorexia; and care of the elderly
