Palliative care

You may be being supported by the Palliative Care Team.

The children and young person’s palliative care team will support from birth to 19 years of age.

The team includes:

  • paediatricians
  • paediatric nurses
  • psychologists
  • health care assistants
  • paediatric hospice liaison staff

As well as caring for you they regularly meet with staff from 2 children’s hospices: Charlton Farm and Little Bridge House. This is to plan visits and stays in them. You and your family need to consent to this.

It can be difficult to predict the progress of these health conditions which involve palliative care, so around your 14th to 16th birthday conversations about moving into adult services will start.

Like all other NHS services the palliative service offered to adults is different from the children and young person’s service.

Some of the differences include the use of hospice care for help to control symptoms, end of life care and support from psychologists.

The adult service team aims to improve your quality of life – physical, emotional, mental and spiritual, manage difficult symptoms such pain, nausea, breathless and anxiety and bereavement support.