Tom Lynch

Research Associate

Personal Introduction

In 2001, Tom Lynch graduated from the University of Central Lancashire with a BA (HONS) in Health Studies (First-Class) and again in 2003 with an MA in Health Studies (Distinction). Tom joined the cluster group of the International Observatory on End of Life Care, Institute for Health Research, Lancaster University, in 2003. In 2004, Tom graduated from the University of Central Lancashire with a Postgraduate Certificate in Education, and worked as a freelance lecturer in Health Studies at the University of Central Lancashire and University of Bolton. In 2010, he graduated with a PhD from the Institute for Health Research at Lancaster University; his thesis explored the concepts of surveillance, responsibility and risk in relation to female breast cancer. In recent times, Tom has been working as a research associate at the Observatory on a variety of projects for a number of organisations; for example, the Access to Opioid Medication in Europe (ATOME) project which examines the availability and accessibility of opioids in twelve European countries.

In 2005, Tom became a member of the European Association of Palliative Care Task Force for the Development of Palliative Care in Europe which explores, assesses and comprehensively summarises the current state of the development of palliative care in the European region. Tom has developed palliative care standards and conducted palliative care needs assessments in a number of Central and Eastern European/Former Soviet Union countries for the Open Society Foundation International Palliative Care Initiative and is an Honorary Professor at the Kazakhstan School of Public Health where he is an international supervisor for a number of PhD students. He has worked on a project to map the global development of palliative care with the Worldwide Palliative Care Alliance, and is a member of Help the Hospices International Expert Committee which provides guidance and direction on international palliative care strategy; he is also a mentor for individuals from a number of low to middle-income countries on the Pain and Policy Study Group’s International Pain and Policy Fellowship, and has worked for the World Health Organisation reviewing National Drug Control Policy in Ukraine.