Virtual Reality Within Palliative Care (VR-SPC)

Launched by UNIVERSITY OF LINCOLN · Jul 30, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is exploring how virtual reality (VR) can help improve the wellbeing and mental health of people receiving palliative care, which is care focused on comfort and quality of life for those with serious illnesses. The study wants to see if using VR—either alone or together with a family member or carer—can help patients reach personal goals like feeling more relaxed, enjoying special experiences, or simply improving their overall mood. The trial will take place at a hospice in England and will offer up to three VR sessions to participants.

People eligible for the study are adults (18 years or older) who are currently receiving specialist palliative care at the hospice, either as inpatients or outpatients, and who are able and willing to try VR. Family members or carers who want to join in the VR sessions can also participate if they are adults and able to travel to the hospice. Before starting, everyone will be asked to give their consent and share their personal goals for using VR. Participants will complete simple questionnaires before and after each session to track how they feel and whether VR is helping them meet their goals. A follow-up interview will take place a few weeks after the last session to talk about their overall experience. The study will keep all information confidential and aims to better understand if VR can be a helpful part of palliative care.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion criteria:
• Participants recieving palliative care must be:
• • Aged 18 or over (no upper age limit due to the service being lifelong).
• • Patients deemed to be palliative, receiving specialist care at the designated hospice as either an inpatient or outpatient.
• • Willing and able to engage in VR interventions as determined by the patients' usual care team.
• • Able to consent to the research, as assessed by the clinical psychologist supporting recruitment and the primary researcher delivering the VR intervention.
• Participant companions (carers, relatives) must be:
• • Aged 18 or over (no upper age limit).
• • Willing and able to engage in VR interventions and travel to the designated hospice site.
• • Able to consent to the research, as assessed by the clinical psychologist supporting recruitment and the primary researcher delivering the VR intervention.
• Exclusion criteria:
• • Lacking capacity to consent to take part in research as assessed by both the clinical psychologist supporting recruitment and the primary researcher delivering VR.
• • Exhibiting contraindications as set out by care team including eyesight impairments or neurological conditions such as epilepsy or dementia.