Barbara has been a social worker for over 30 years. She joined St Christopher’s Hospice in 1987 and became Chief Executive in 2000. She is founder and Director of the Candle Children’s Bereavement project at St Christopher’s and was Chair of the National Childhood Bereavement Network for eight years. She is Module Leader on the MSc in Palliative Care and Policy run jointly by St Christopher’s and King’s College London.

Barbara is a well-known speaker and lecturer and has delivered training programmes across the world. She has written extensively about psychological and social aspects of palliative care and sits on a variety of national committees supporting the development of end of life care. Barbara is an Honorary Professor at the International Observatory on End of Life Care at Lancaster University and has a long term interest in how we achieve ‘good enough’ end of life care for all. She was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List 2010.