Social Policy / Business Management: Fully Funded KESS II PhD Scholarship: Bringing dying home: An evaluation of a volunteer model to reconfigure end of life care

*This scholarships is part funded by the Welsh Government’s European Social Fund (ESF) convergence programme for West Wales and the Valleys.*

Morgan Academy PhD Scholarship for UK or EU applicants in the field of: Business Management / Social Economic Policy & Social Studies

This project will evaluate a new service delivery model. Skanda Vale Hospice uses a largely volunteer workforce to deliver a public health model for end of life care to patients with life-limiting illness throughout west Wales and the Swansea Valley. This project will ask whether this new model of hospice care service delivery is both effective and sustainable.

The evaluation approach will be qualitative and ethnographic, it will focus on how the model is understood, experienced and put into action in everyday practice. It will focus on the perspectives of carers, hospice staff and patients alike. The researcher will be immersed in hospice life by working alongside hospice volunteers as one of the team as much as possible.

Evaluation work will consist of gathering qualitative data using participant observation, ethnographic interviewing, collecting and collating life histories and biographical accounts and more structured interviewing where appropriate. Such data will be analysed thematically to build a deeper and engaged ethnographic evaluation of Skanda Vale’s public health model of hospice care.

The ethnographic methodology that will be applied is appropriate to the principles of prudent healthcare, which is co-productive; intervenes as little as possible; prioritises; and is research-based.

Scholarships are collaborative awards with external partners including SME’s and micro companies, as well as public and third sector organisations. The scholarship provides 3 years of funding with a 6 month period to complete the thesis. The achievement of a postgraduate skills development award, PSDA, is compulsory for each KESS II scholar and is based on a 60 credit award.

Eligibility

Candidates should have a 2.1 or above in their undergraduate degree and hold a Social Science Master’s or other Master’s level degree in a related subject. Ethnographic research experience and experience in qualitative data analysis would be an advantage. They should also be eligible for UK/EU Fees.

We would normally expect the academic and English Language requirements to be met by point of application. For details on the University’s English Language entry requirements, please visit – http://www.swansea.ac.uk/admissions/englishlanguagerequirements/