title: Benefits and challenges of collaborative research: lessons from supportive and palliative care.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the processes of establishing and running the Cancer Experiences Collaborative (CECo), and reflect upon the benefits and challenges of undertaking collaborative research in supportive and palliative care.
  
  
  METHODS
  A descriptive analysis of a 5-year research collaborative initiated in 2006.
  
  
  METHODS
  Research groups at the Universities of Lancaster, Liverpool, Manchester, Nottingham and Southampton, England.
  
  
  METHODS
  26 UK organisations including the four largest hospices in England, hospital cancer centres, Help the Hospices (a national charity supporting independent hospices) and user representatives.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The aim of CECo was to enhance the value, quality and productivity of scientific research in supportive and palliative care, and to increase research capacity and improve the coordination of collaborative research. Three programmatic themes of research were established: (i) innovative approaches to complex symptoms, (ii) planning for the care of older adults towards the end of life and (iii) research methodology including narrative approaches. Four benefits and challenges are highlighted: strategic leadership and management structures for cross-institutional work, working in multidisciplinary groups and linking research with practice settings, capacity building, and user involvement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The activities of CECo have resulted in significant benefits with an increase in good quality research studies that have led to the production of a significant number of peer-reviewed papers, and learning between academics, clinicians and users, which has contributed to raising the standards of supportive and palliative care research. However, the future of such research initiatives is fragile, with concerns about the sustainability of collaboration in the face of diminishing resources.
authors.affiliation: School of Health and Medicine, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK.
authors.forename: Sheila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Payne
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Seymour
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Molassiotis
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Froggatt
authors.forename: Gunn
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Grande
authors.forename: Mari
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lloyd-Williams
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Foster
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: Liz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rolls
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Todd
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Addington-Hall
mesh_terms: D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000379:methods*; D002173:Cancer Care Facilities; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D006738:Hospices; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D010166:Palliative Care; D006113:United Kingdom