Specialist paediatric palliative care is a relatively new area of paediatrics, and the interface with other disciplines can occasionally pose challenges for referrers due to lack of information about the diverse services available. Although services vary on a regional basis, there are common principles which may be used to guide and support referrals. This research aimed to clarify the role of specialist paediatric palliative care, identify who should be eligible for such care, describe the services available (including those from children’s hospices) and provide a tool for assessing some of the most challenging referrals.
