Where is the theory in theory meets practice?

Research in palliative care is often driven by the need to change and enhance ways of working to achieve evidence based best practice, and to conduct research that can be translated into practice. At the same time there is a consistent discourse around the nexus between theory and practice, and an emphasis on the need to link research, theory and practice. However, theory building remains a challenge, and the balance is often slanted towards filling gaps in service delivery and interventions that 'work' without knowing why they work, and what are the underlying mechanisms of change. The benefits of theory driven research are many: there is a greater understanding of 'why' rather than just 'what'; an articulation of what underpins behaviours and changes in these behaviours; it enables lasting change; and it facilitates focused interventions. This position is explored using two examples of empirical research in two different areas of palliative care.