Dr Mark Taubert

Mark is a palliative care doctor, working in Velindre Cancer Centre, Llandough Hospital and the hospice. He chairs the national Advance Care Planning group, where he has instated patient/carer representatives and promotes better choices in terminal illness. He has created highly accessed bilingual patient-facing resources, which are also used in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Mark demonstrates such energy, and he pours it into his week-day and on-call clinical practice as a hardworking doctor and mentor. He listens with such care, often in the most dark and challenging of circumstances.

His education resources and tireless teaching on the wards have been put forward by students who consistently nominate him as one of the best teachers. His work prompted one of his patients to write a piece about him in the British Medical Journal. Palliative care is an overlooked area, and Mark is determined that this aspect of life is not forgotten; highlighting powerful lived experiences in publications like the Western Mail, Washington Post and Al Jazeera news. 

During the pandemic he asked the BBC to publish a 5-step communication guide on holding remote conversations sensitively. His letter to David Bowie about palliation received worldwide attention and discussion. He advocated for people with learning disabilities and has disseminated resources in Braille. As a German ‘import’ who has settled in Wales and adores this country, he has been a force in putting Wales on the international stage, highlighting the importance of compassionate care in the face of devastating illness.