In 2016 Dr Helen Kerr of Queen’s University Belfast completed a Doctoral Fellowship supported by the All Ireland Institute of Hospice and Palliative Care and HSC R&D Public Health Agency.  Helen’s research, which was supervised by Dr Peter O’Halloran, Dr Honor Nicholl and Professor Jayne Price identified the key factors that contribute to an effective transition from children’s to adult services for young adults with life-limiting conditions in Ireland.  The significance of this research has been recognised in a number of awards.  On 24^th March 2017 Helen won the International Journal of Palliative Nursing ‘Researcher of the Year’ presented by Professor Julia Downing at a ceremony in London.  Helen said ‘I am absolutely delighted with the ‘Researcher of the Year’ award and can already see this will contribute to raising the profile of the need to improve transition services for young adults with life-limiting conditions.’  The Royal College of Nursing also recognised the importance of this research as Helen was runner up in Northern Ireland ‘Researcher of the Year’ in May 2016.  In October 2016 Helen secured the Florence Nightingale Travel Scholarship award to develop transition guidelines in Northern Ireland.  Helen also organised and facilitated an all-Ireland Transition workshop in September 2016, working with over 80 services users and service providers to identify the key priorities for action related to an effective transition to adult services.  Helen is now involved in research which is developing and evaluating transition interventions.   

For further information please contact Dr Helen Kerr: h.kerr@qub.ac.uk or 028 9097 5810