We are delighted to celebrate a new publication from Dr David Wenzel. David’s paper, “How do clinicians navigate end-of-life care with NIV/CPAP? A thematic analysis study”, has been published in BMJ Open and explores how healthcare professionals make complex decisions when caring for patients using non-invasive ventilation (NIV) or CPAP at the end of life.
Using in-depth qualitative interviews with multidisciplinary clinicians across UK secondary care, the study highlights the emotional, ethical and practical challenges involved in end-of-life respiratory care. Key findings include how clinicians balance symptom relief with treatment burden, negotiate decisions with patients and families, and manage the emotionally demanding process of withdrawing life-sustaining treatments.
The research aligns closely with Wellcome’s priorities by placing lived clinical experience at the centre of inquiry, addressing mental and emotional dimensions of healthcare delivery, and generating evidence with clear relevance for improving patient-centred care. It also reflects the MHN DTP’s interdisciplinary training ethos, combining qualitative methods, clinical insight and mental health research perspectives.
This publication marks an important milestone in David’s PhD journey and showcases the impact of Wellcome-funded doctoral research in addressing complex, real-world health challenges. We congratulate David on this achievement and look forward to the continued contribution of his work.
🗓️ Accepted: 02 December 2025
🔗 Read the full article here