Referring to Children’s Hospice at Home

Patients must be registered with a GP within our catchment area of Bucks and West Herts and meet the following criteria: 

1. The child or young person is aged 0-17 years at time of first referral OR the young person is aged between 17-19 years with a life expectancy of no more than 19.  

2. The child or young person has a life-limiting or life-threatening condition which falls into one of the following four categories (ACT & RCPCH 2003) : 

• Group 1: Life threatening conditions for which curative treatment may fail e.g. cancer, irreversible organ failure 
• Group 2: Conditions where premature death is anticipated but intensive treatment may prolong life e.g. complicated cystic fibrosis, HIV 
• Group 3: Progressive conditions without curative treatment options where treatment is exclusively palliative e.g. Battens disease, mucopolysaccharidoses

We may also be able to support some children with a condition in Group 4; this will require individual assessment:

• Group 4: Conditions causing severe neurological disability leading to susceptibility of health complications and likelihood of premature death e.g. severe cerebral palsy, multiple disabilities following brain or spinal cord insult.

Although parents can self-refer to Rennie Grove Peace’s Children’s Hospice at Home service, we’ll still need to liaise with the child’s GP or consultant before providing care. Because of this, it’s often more efficient if the GP initiates the referral.  

GPs can refer a child quickly and securely by completing our paediatric referral form and returning it to help@renniegrove.org  

Patients will be discharged from this service if:

• the condition stabilises or resolves with no ongoing requirement for specialist palliative support

OR

• the patient reaches the age of 19, wherein arrangements will be made for a smooth transfer of care to an adult service