Life Force offers a specialist paediatric palliative care service that provides additional care and support for children with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions.

The team provides:

• symptom management support
• coordination of current services, accessing extra support for families when necessary
• provision of respite/short breaks in the home
• pre and post-death bereavement support to parents and siblings
• therapeutic/specialist play

The team work closely with the Great Ormond Street Hospital for children palliative care team.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusions

Children from birth to 18 (including antenatal referrals) with a potentially life-threatening or life-limiting condition who are registered with a GP in Camden, Haringey or Islington. Referrals should fall into one of the following categories:

• Category 1: Life-threatening conditions for which curative treatment may be feasible but can fail (e.g. cancer, irreversible organ failure)
• Category 2: Conditions where premature death is inevitable, where there may be long periods of intensive treatment aimed at prolonging life (e.g. cystic fibrosis)
• Category 3: Progressive conditions without curative treatment options (e.g. Batten disease, muscular dystrophy)
• Category 4: Irreversible but non-progressive conditions causing severe disability (e.g. severe cerebral palsy).

How to Refer