Throughout his career as a palliative care physician, Julian has become increasingly involved in finding ways of building compassionate communities to support people at end-of-life. He is currently Director of Compassionate Communities UK.
Since 2016, he has worked with Frome Medical Practice in Somerset, UK to develop a new model of primary care combined with compassionate communities, one of the most effective therapeutic tools we have in improving length of life and well-being. The health outcomes of this model have been dramatic, with this being the first intervention that has been effective in reducing population emergency admissions. He co-authored the book about Frome called The Compassion Project.
Dr Abel, Professor Allan Kellehear and Dr Catherine Millington Sanders formed Compassionate Communities UK, which aims to develop the broader rollout of compassionate communities in both primary care and end-of-life care. Projects are underway in multiple areas in the UK, and several international cities. Professor Kellehear and Dr Abel are joint editors of the forthcoming first Oxford Textbook of Public Health Palliative Care.
He is author of a book about Frome, The Compassion Project with friend and prize-winning novelist Lindsay Clarke, international keynote speaker and runs the podcast Survival of the Kindest.