Monday-Friday 9-5pm

Scott.Murray@ed.ac.uk

0131 650 9498

PA: Dora.Anderson@ed.ac.uk

0131 650 2680

I lead the first Primary Palliative Care Research Group based in an academic department of family medicine. This group has undertaken a wide range of high impact research studies focusing primarily on the experiences of people with advanced illnesses, their family and professional carers, alongside studies of health service developments relevant to palliative care.  I helped develop a validated tool to improve how we identify people with deteriorating health who are at risk of dying so that they and their families can be offered an holistic review of their needs and care planning. The Supportive and Palliative Care Indicators Tool is freely available to download from our website in several languages.

I also chair the International Primary Palliative Care Network which seeks to encourage research and advocacy for a palliative care approach to be adopted internationally in primary care.  I recently led a EAPC Taskforce to produce a Toolkit for national palliative care development in the community, now translated to French and German. 

I have wide experience of research and evaluation in many African countries. I serve on a WHO Committee to inform the development of integrated palliative care in all settings in both rich and resource poor countries. 

My vision is that good palliative care should be available to everyone everywhere by generalists supported by specialists. I advocate for a new public health – a health promoting approach in palliative care whereby individuals and communities are encouraged to call on their own individual and community resources and assets so that people can live and then die as well as possible.

Teaching 

Undergraduate

• Review and development of undergraduate curriculum

Postgraduate

• Teaching and assessment of MSc and PhD students in (area of) end-of-life care
• Professional development for hospital specialists, all disciplines involved in palliative care
• Teaching in international health

 PhD Supervision:

• Kellen Kimani – Quality of life: experiences and expectations of patients living with advanced heart failure
• Ai Oishi – Health promoting palliative care in Japan
• Libby Sallnow – Health promoting palliative care in a hospice catchment area

Recent Research Projects

• Exploring the patient experience of undergoing a multimodal intervention for cachexia in advanced cancer. (The Melville Trust for the Care and Cure of Cancer, 2015-2016) Murray SA, Lloyd A, Carduff E, Kendall M, Laird B, Fallon M & Fearnon K.

• Supportive care in the community for people living with advanced liver disease: a feasibility study (Chief Scientist Office, 2014-2016) Murray SA, Kendall M, Boyd K, Kimbell B, MacGilchrist A, Weir C, Finucane A, Hayes P, O'Carroll R, Brookes-Young P, Deighan M.

• Understanding the experiences and multi-dimensional needs of people with major stroke: a mixed methods study (CSO, 2014-2016) Mead G, Murray SA, Kendall M, Cowey E, Barber M, McAlpine C, Boyd K, Stott D.

• Identifying patients with palliative care needs in primary care using existing IT infrastructure (IPPC). (Marie Curie & Edinburgh Lothian Health Foundation, 2015-2016) Murray SA, Mason B, Boyd K, Scully R, Steyn J, Kendall M, Morris L, McPherson S.

• Phase 2 randomised trial of early versus delayed future care planning for patients with advanced heart disease. (Marie Curie Cancer Care, 2013-2014) Denvir M, Murray S, Boyd K, Weir C.

• HELPing older people with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) towards the end of their lives: developing, piloting and refining a practical intervention (HELP-COPD) (The Dunhill Medical Trust (DMT), 2012-2013) Pinnock H, Kendall M, Murray S, Worth A, Levack P, Macnee B, Sheikh A, White P, Rabinovich R, Drost E, Stewart J, Boyd K, Nurmatov U.

• Improving supportive and palliative care for people with advanced heart, lung, kidney, or liver disease through structured identification, assessment and care planning before hospital discharge. (NHS Lothian Health Services Research Unit, 2011-2012) Boyd K, Murray SA, Crawford D.

• Definition and evaluation of models of primary and secondary care collaborative working at the end of life. (National Institute for Health Research, SDO; 2009-2011).  Murray SA, Worth A, Mason B, Boyd K, Kendall M, Higginson I, Shipman C, Barclay S, Munday D, Dale J, Irvine M Bowes.