Paediatric palliative care is at an infant stage of development in Hong Kong and is yet to become a specialist service. A group of doctors and nurses in public hospitals has thus established the Hong Kong Society of Paediatric Palliative Care this year to raise public awareness of the subject.

Dr Li Chak-ho, Consultant of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine Department at Tuen Mun Hospital, says that the paediatric oncology department of five public hospitals had worked with Children Cancer’s Foundation to deliver palliative care for children cancer patients in the past. But the service did not cover non-cancer children patients. Overseas statistics show that over 70% of paediatric patients who need palliative care service are non-cancer patients who suffer from neurological, cardiac or genetic diseases. This means that paediatric palliative care for non-cancer children patients should not be neglected in Hong Kong.

With the Hong Kong Children’s Hospital commencing service next year, Dr Li considers this an opportune time to set up a palliative care team for paediatric patients. When the hospital opens next year, the team can provide palliative care for oncology, cardiology and nephrology children patients, coordinate with hospitals in various clusters to develop their own team, develop a service guide, offer advice and patient counselling services when necessary. The team will also support caregivers and staff at special schools and dormitories. The ultimate goal is to develop systematic paediatric palliative care service which is family-based to take care of the needs of patients and families.