Paediatric palliative care is care and support for children and young adults with a life limiting illness. It focuses on comfort and quality of life for the child and support for the whole family/whānau.
Palliative care is available at any time throughout a child’s life, especially during times when the child is more unwell, and prognosis is uncertain. These can be challenging times when decision making is often difficult. Palliative care can help by working alongside everyone involved in the care of the child from the hospital through to the community teams, making sure the unique needs of each child and family/whānau are recognised, understood and met. Palliative care can be provided alongside other treatments.
The Hospice Palliative Care Service is a large multidisciplinary team which includes specialist doctors, nurses, allied health and family support professionals. The team is based at Nurse Maude Hospice but most of the time works in the community. The Paediatric Palliative Clinical Nurse Specialist is part of this team. Children and young people are always cared for in collaboration with the primary paediatrician, general practitioner and other health professionals.
A referral can be made to the Paediatric Palliative Clinical Nurse Specialist through the Nurse Maude Hospice Palliative Care Service. Referrals can be made by paediatricians, general practitioners, community health providers or staff at Christchurch Hospital.
Advice is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from the hospice if required.