Biography
Caroline has 30 years experience in physiotherapy in a variety of settings including NHS, private, voluntary, and higher education sectors. She specialised initially in respiratory and then in palliative, supportive and end of life care. With 23 years, experience in this specialist area, Caroline is keen to implement evidence-based practice and has been a member of the NICE Lung Cancer Guideline Development Group and is currently assisting with the development of evidence-based practice guidelines in supportive care at JBI COnNECT plus Cancer Care Node.
Caroline has worked in palliative care since 2000, transferring her respiratory knowledge to work on a pilot study in lung cancer within a hospice environment, setting up the first breathlessness clinic in the South of England. She has also developed her own private practice, working on a consultancy and contract basis. Caroline has worked as a Physiotherapy Lecturer on the BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy programme at Bournemouth University from 2006 to 2016. During this time Caroline maintained her clinical experience through an Honorary contract at a local NHS palliative care unit, as well as a contract between her private practice and a local hospice.
From 2016 to 2020, Caroline has been the Professional Lead for Education at Sue Ryder, a national post covering seven hospices and four neurological centres. Her academic experience was maintained through leading the Sue Ryder accredited palliative care concepts and practice module with the University of West London and being interim Research Lead for a year. Caroline was also awarded the status of Visiting Fellow at Bournemouth University in 2022 and is an external examiner for Northumbria University.
Caroline has also been appointed as a Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) Education Representative in 2022. This role is integral to the CSP’s Quality Assurance and Enhancement activities. In this role Caroline will act as a ‘critical friend’ to her linked Higher Education Institute, Oxford Brookes University.
Current Activity
Caroline is a Senior Lecturer in Physiotherapy and is Course Lead on the MSc Physiotherapy (Pre-registration) course in the School of Rehabilitation Sports and Psychology. She is involved in the management, curriculum development and delivery of the MSc Physiotherapy (Pre-registration) course and leads the School of Psychology, Sport and Physical Activity Rehabilitation Research Group (RRG).
Areas of Interest
Caroline’s research interests and areas of interest and expertise include the non-pharmacological approach to breathlessness and palliative rehabilitation, as well as human rights in end of life care, with work published in several peer-reviewed journals and presentations at key conferences.
Qualifications 
Qualifications
- 2009 – 2016 Doctor of Professional Practice (Dprof)
- 2007 – 2008 Postgraduate Certificate in Health and Social Care Education
- 2006 – 2007 Edexcel Level 3 BTEC Award in Management
- 2005 – 2006 The Macmillan National Institute of Education (MINIE)Certificate
- 1993 – 2002 MSc in Continuing Professional Development
- 1990 – 1993 BSc (Hons) in Physiotherapy
Membership
Membership
- Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP)
- Physiotherapy Research Society (PRS)
- Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC)
- Society for Research in Rehabilitation (SRR)
- Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
- Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA)
- Royal Society of Medicine Regional Fellow (RSMRF)
- Visiting Fellow Bournemouth University
Academic activities
Academic activities
Recently Caroline has focused on COVID-19 recovery and rehabilitation working with Health Education England (HEE) to develop Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) e-learning resources for COVID-19 on the e-Learning for Health platform (e-LfH). As well as writing a chapter on COVID-19, long-term conditions and supportive, palliative and end of life care in the 5th edition of Payne’s Handbook of Relaxation Techniques – a practical guide for healthcare professionals and students. Caroline is also a peer reviewer for three key palliative, supportive and end of life journals, Disability and rehabilitation and physiotherapy journal with verified reviews logged through Publons.
Research
Research
Within the AECC University College School of Rehabilitation, Sport and Psychology Physical Activity and Health Research Group led by Alyx Taylor, we are currently exploring in partnership with Leeds University the implementation of Physical Activity into Hospice Care. This research follows on from research carried out with Sue Ryder on physical activity in their seven Hospices and four Neurological centres across the UK. We are now exploring implementation of this research into practice within the local area.
VIEW CAROLINE BELCHAMBERS RESEARCH IN THE AECC UNIVERSITY COLLEGE RESEARCH REPOSITORY.
Teaching
Teaching
Caroline is a Senior Lecturer in Physiotherapy, involved in the management, curriculum development and delivery of the MSc Physiotherapy (Pre-registration) programme.
Publications
Publications
Peer-reviewed articles / Blogs
Belchamber, C.A., 2022 Payne’s Handbook of Relaxation Techniques: A Practical Guide for the Health Care Professional. 5th Edn. Elsevier: London.
Burke, S., Utley, A., Belchamber, C. A. McDowall, L. 2020. Physical Activity in Hospice Care: A Social Ecological Perspective to Inform Policy and Practice. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport. DOI: 10.1080/02701367.2019.1687808. https://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/DA9IVJGEIGM3VGUPTIDE/full?target=10.1080/02701367.2019.1687808
Graves, J., Shields, T., Belchamber, C. A. 2018. Human Rights in End of Life Care: Implementation and Early Evaluation of a Sue Ryder Training Programme. European Journal of Palliative Care (EAPC), 25 (1), 9-14.
Belchamber, C.A., Rosser, E., Ellis-Hill, C. 2018. P-047 Metamorphosis of a Physiotherapy Palliative Cancer Care Service Provision: A Qualitative Case Study Research Design. Conference Paper in Palliative Medicine, 32 (Suppl 1), 300-330. DOI: 10.1177/0269216318769196.
Belchamber, C.A., Rosser, E., Ellis-Hill, C. 2017. Evidence-based Practice Development Project: Private Physiotherapy. Conference Paper in Physiotherapy. 103: e18-e19. DOI: 10.1016/j.physio.2017.11.174.
Belchamber, C.A., Rosser, E., Ellis-Hill, C. 2017. P-137 Physiotherapy Palliative Cancer Care: Learning Through Innovation. Conference Paper in BMJ Supportive and Palliative Care, 7 (Suppl 2): A58.2-A58; DOI: 10.1136/bmjspcare-2017-hosice.162.
Belchamber, C.A., Rosser, E., Ellis-Hill, C. 2017. P-87 Physiotherapy palliative cancer care: a case study approach. Conference Paper in BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care, 7 (Suppl 1) A32; DOI: 10.1136/bmjspcare-2017-00133.86.
Belchamber, C.A., Rosser, E., Ellis-Hill, C. 2017. P-90 Practice improvement project: palliative care service provision for people with dyspnoea Conference Paper in BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care, 7 (Suppl 1) A33; DOI: 10.1136/bmjspcare-2017-00133.89.
Belchamber, C.A., 2017. What matters to me: A human rights approach to end of life care. EAPC (European Association of Palliative Care) blog: https://eapcnet.wordpress.com/2017/07/05/what-matters-to-me-a-human-rights-approach-to-end-of-life-care/ (Top 10 most viewed Blog 2017).
Scammell, J., van Teijlingen, E., Tait, D., Spriggs, Hind, M., Belchamber, C., A., 2016. Evaluation of a Multidisciplinary Integrated Respiratory Service in the UK. European Journal for Person Centered Healthcare (EJPCH).
Belchamber, C.A., 2013. EAPC (European Association of Palliative Care) Fostering hope through palliative care blog. https://eapcnet.wordpress.com/2013/06/13/fostering-hope-through-palliative-rehabilitation/
Belchamber, C.A., Gousy, M. H., Ellis-Hill, C., 2013. Fostering Hope through Palliative Rehabilitation. European Journal of Palliative Care. 20 (3), 136 – 139.
Belchamber, C.A., 2011. Hope through shifting mindsets: Finding inward strength, making living with cancer possible. Journal of Care in Cancer, 19 (2), S268.
Belchamber, C.A., 2009. Participants’ perceptions of group work in the management of cancer symptoms in older people. Groupwork. 19 (2) 79-100.
Belchamber, C. A., Gousy, M. H., 2004. Rehabilitative care in a specialist palliative day care centre: A study of patients’ perspectives. International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation 11, 9, 425-34.
Books
Belchamber, C.A. (author / editor) Payne’s handbook of relaxation techniques – a practical guide for the healthcare professional and student. 5th Edn. Elsevier – In print, due for publication June 2021.
Belchamber, C.A., 2010. A rehabilitative care approach for people living with cancer: People with cancer’s views of a rehabilitative care approach within a specialist palliative day care centre: LAP Lambert Academic Publishing.
Manuals / reports
Scammell, J., Tait, D., Spriggs, A., Hind, M., Belchamber, C., A., van Teijlingen, E., 2015 DAIRS: Service Evaluation Final Report: Dorset CCG.
National Collaborating Centre for Acute Care, and Belchamber, C.A., 2005.The Diagnosis and Treatment of Lung Cancer methods, evidence and guidance. Manual. London: The Royal College of Surgeons of England.
Other Achievements
Other Achievements
Awarded a World Physiotherapy outstanding platform presentation award (Europe region) at the World Physiotherapy Congress 2021.
Contact details
Contact details
- Email: cbelchamber@aecc.ac.uk
- Twitter: @cbelchamber1
- Orcid – orcid.org/0000-0003-0175-4878
- Publons – https://publons.com/researcher/1538862/caroline-belchamber/
