Accessing the service

• Referrals on specialist palliative care referral forms are accepted from hospital consultants, GPs, hospital clinical nurse specialists and district nurses.
• The information required is as follows: reason for referral, patient details, address and telephone number, name of patient's GP. Confirmation of patient's consent to the referral is required. An indication of prognosis, clinical letters and investigation results should support this.
• The GP will be informed of the referral prior to the patient being contacted.

Process

• Each referral is first seen by the consultant/hospice physician and hospice team leader/manager
• The Clinical Nurse Specialist will make telephone contact to the patient and/or family within seven working days of initial receipt of referral.
• An appointment is confirmed to meet the patient; this may take place at the patient's home, hospice or community clinic.
• If the referral is urgent, a member of the team will make a telephone contact within two working days.
• For immediate advice and guidance healthcare professionals may phone the hospice direct.