In Australia and around the world, there are ongoing challenges in this area - especially when it comes to safe medication use, managing complex symptoms, and providing care in regional and remote communities.

More than 30 years ago, Associate Professor Jenny Schneider became the first clinical pharmacist at the newly opened Mater Hospice. In this new and developing role, Jenny helped build the foundations of palliative care pharmacy. She focused on important questions about medication safety, including how drugs can be safely combined and delivered through continuous infusions under the skin.

Jenny’s interest in solving these practical problems continued long after her clinical role. She moved into research and teaching, helping to grow knowledge in this specialised area.

Years later, a new palliative care pharmacist at Calvary Mater Newcastle, Fern Beschi, found herself asking similar questions. She was working with newer medicines, such as levetiracetam, and needed answers to ensure they were being used safely in palliative care. Recognising Jenny’s expertise, Fern reached out for guidance.

In many ways, this brought things full circle. With support from palliative care leaders past and present, Dr Rachel Hughes, Dr Laura Bird and earlier encouragement from Professor Peter Ravenscroft, Jenny and Fern began working together to address today’s clinical challenges.

Their work has been supported by a Calvary Mater Newcastle Research Grant, made possible by kind donations from the community, and an NSW Regional Cancer Research Network Clinician Research Fellowship.

Jenny now supervises Fern’s PhD, and together they have secured an NSW Health End of Life and Palliative Care Research Grant. Their research focuses on improving understanding of how modern medicines can be safely used together in palliative care.

By turning research findings into practical guidance, Jenny and Fern are helping ensure patients receive safe, effective and compassionate care - now and into the future.