Professor Irene Higginson

Professor Higginson has a dual training in palliative medicine and epidemiology/public health.  She has extensive experience in leading national and international multidisciplinary research, teaching, collaboration and care in palliative care.  Since 1996 she has been Head of Department and Professor of Palliative Care Policy and Rehabilitation at King's College London.  

She has over 250 scientific papers published in peer review journals, has published 14 books on palliative and end of life care and is an adviser to many governments in research and policy in palliative care. Professor Higginson has developed two tools - the Support Team Assessment Schedule (STAS) and the Palliative Care Outcome Scale (POS) used widely in the UK and many other countries.

Professor Higginson was awarded an OBE for services to medicine in the Queen's Birthday Honours list of 2008.  

In 2002 she was appointed Scientific Director of Cicely Saunders International and is leading the development of the Cicely Saunders Institute.