Aim

The MORECare project aims to identify, appraise and synthesise ‘best practice’ methods for the evaluation of palliative and EoL care, particularly focussing on complex service-delivery interventions and reconfigurations. The project is a collaboration between King’s College London, University of Manchester, University of Aberdeen and University of Edinburgh. The principle investigators are Professor Irene Higginson (KCL) and Professor Chris Todd (UoM). The MRC/NIHR fund the project.

Overall design

The project uses methods of literature scoping, literature review, consultation with stakeholders and ‘think-tank’ workshops with experts. The literature scoping informs areas considered in the reviews and consultation. We have completed the literature scoping on systematic reviews of studies evaluating the effectiveness of complex interventions in palliative and EoL care. We are now undertaking the literature reviews and stakeholder consultation in parallel.  KCL leads the main literature reviews and appraisal, and UoM the consultation. This facilitates rapid progress while ensuring high quality.

Synthesis of the findings will be presented at methodological ‘think tank’ workshops to resolve identified gaps and issues of particular significance. The final synthesis will provide a guideline, in a similar format to that of the 2008 MRC Guidance Developing and Evaluating Complex Interventions