Hospice referral and care (Specialist palliative care (hospice services))
Specialist care for people with a serious or life-limiting illness, focused on comfort, symptoms and support for the whole person and their family.
✓ Medically reviewed by a GMC-registered consultant · last reviewed September 2026 · next review September 2027 · how we review
In short
- Hospice care focuses on comfort, symptoms and support for the whole person and their family, not only on the very end of life.
- Many people are referred early, for symptom help, a short stay or respite, and some go home again afterwards.
- Care can be at a day service, as an inpatient, at home, or as respite to give carers a break.
- Hospice care in the UK is usually free, and your GP, nurse or hospital team can refer you (some hospices accept self-referral).
A plain-English summary. The detail — including risks and recovery — is below.
At a glance
A general guide. Your specialist will give you advice for your situation.
Expert help with pain and other difficult symptoms
Hospice care is not a substitute for emergency treatment when someone has an acute, reversible problem that needs urgent hospital care.
The hospice team contacts you, often within days, to understand your needs and arrange an assessment at the hospice or at home.
A named contact and clear out-of-hours route for symptoms and worries.
The hospice team contacts you, often within days, to understand your needs and arrange an assessment at the...
The team looks at your symptoms, how you are coping and what matters to you, then agrees a plan with you. Nothing...
Help begins, which might be a medicine change for symptoms, a day-service visit, a short stay or support at home...
Support flexes with your needs over time, and may pause and restart. You can go home after a stay and remain under...
What is hospice referral and care?
A hospice provides specialist palliative care: care that focuses on comfort and quality of life for people living with a serious or life-limiting illness. The team looks after physical symptoms like pain or breathlessness, and also emotional, social, spiritual and practical needs, for both the person who is ill and the people close to them.
Many people fear that a hospice referral means they are about to die. This is not true. A hospice is not only for the last days of life. People are often referred much earlier, for help with difficult symptoms, for a short stay to get on top of a problem, or for support that helps them live as well as possible. Some people go to a hospice, get the help they need, and go home again.
Hospice care comes in different forms: visits to a day service, short stays as an inpatient, support at home, respite to give family carers a break, and counselling or bereavement support. It is provided by a team that usually includes doctors, nurses, therapists, social workers and chaplains, working alongside your GP and hospital team.
Getting a referral is usually done by your GP, hospital doctor or nurse, and some hospices accept referrals from the person themselves or their family. There is no single moment that is 'too early' to ask whether a hospice could help.
Types, options & approaches
There may be different ways to do this. The right approach depends on the clinical question and your circumstances.
Options at a glance
These are the main approaches described in this guide. The right option depends on the diagnosis, your goals and what your clinician thinks is safe.
Day services (day hospice)
Visits to the hospice for symptom support, therapies, activities and company, while continuing to live at home. A way to access expert help without staying overnight.
Inpatient care
A stay in the hospice, often to get a difficult symptom under control. Many people improve and return home; the hospice also cares for people at the end of life.
Hospice care at home
The hospice team supports you in your own home, working with your GP and community nurses, so you can stay where you feel most comfortable.
Respite care
A short planned stay so that family or carers who normally look after you can have a break, while you are well cared for.
Preparing for your appointment
- Talk with your GP, nurse or hospital team about whether a hospice could help, and how to be referred.
- Write down the symptoms or worries you would most like help with.
- Think about which kind of support might suit you: day visits, a short stay, help at home or respite.
- Note your current medicines and any recent letters or test results to bring or share.
- Consider whether you would like a family member or carer involved.
- Ask whether the hospice accepts self-referral or needs a professional referral where you live.
- Be reassured that a referral does not mean a one-way path; it is about support, and you can still receive other care.
What happens
After a referral, the hospice team will usually contact you to understand your situation and what you need. There is no single procedure; the focus is on getting to know you and planning support around you.
An early assessment, sometimes at the hospice and sometimes at home, looks at your symptoms, how you are coping, your home situation and what matters to you. The team includes professionals such as palliative care doctors and nurses, therapists, social workers and chaplains, who work together and with your GP and hospital team.
From there, a plan is agreed with you. It might mean adjusting medicines to control pain or other symptoms, attending a day service, a short stay to settle a problem, support at home, or counselling for you and your family. The aim is to help you live as comfortably and fully as possible.
If you have a stay, the surroundings are usually calm and homely, with flexible visiting and attention to dignity and your wishes. Many people are supported through a difficult patch and then return home, with the hospice remaining involved as needed.
Is this appointment right for me?
A good consultation should explore whether it's the right choice for you now — including reasons to wait or consider something else.
May not be suitable if…
- Hospice care is not a substitute for emergency treatment when someone has an acute, reversible problem that needs urgent hospital care.
- It is not aimed at curing the underlying illness, so it is not the right route if active curative treatment is the clear priority and no symptom or support needs exist.
- A particular local hospice may not offer a specific specialist service that someone needs, so another provider may be more suitable.
Delay or rearrange if…
- An urgent symptom or crisis needs to be dealt with first.
- Key information for a referral, such as a recent summary from the hospital or GP, is missing.
- The person feels they need more time to come to terms with a referral.
- Eligibility for a specific hospice needs checking before referral.
Alternatives to discuss
- Palliative care support from your GP and community nurses without a hospice referral.
- Hospital-based specialist palliative care teams.
- Home palliative care support, so care is delivered where you live.
- Care home or nursing home support with palliative input.
- Charity and community support services for practical and emotional needs.
Before you decide
Use this as a shared-decision checklist. The aim is not just “can this be done?”, but whether it is right for you, now, with the risks and alternatives clearly understood.
What matters most to me?
Think about symptoms, daily life, work, caring responsibilities, sport, fertility, travel, appearance and anxiety — the right choice depends on your priorities, not just the medical facts.
What are all my options?
Ask about waiting, monitoring, medicines, rehabilitation, a smaller or larger procedure, a different test, NHS referral, or a second opinion where that would help.
What would make me pause?
Active infection, pregnancy, unstable medical problems, smoking, medicines that increase bleeding, poor support at home, or feeling pressured are all reasons to slow down and get tailored advice.
What happens if I do nothing today?
For some problems, waiting is safe; for others, delay can make treatment harder. A good consultation should explain the trade-off in plain English.
Benefits
- Expert help with pain and other difficult symptoms
- Care for the whole person: emotional, social, spiritual and practical needs
- Support for family and carers, including respite and bereavement support
- Help to stay at home where that is your wish
- A calm, dignified environment that values your preferences
- Joined-up working with your GP and hospital team
Risks & complications
- Worry or fear about what a hospice referral means
- Strong emotions for you and your family as you accept extra support
- Adjusting to new faces and a new team
- Practical concerns about travel or arranging visits
- Services and waiting times vary by area, so support may not be instant
- Some specialist services may not be available at every local hospice
- Eligibility criteria differ between hospices
- Family members may disagree about accepting hospice support
- A mismatch between what was hoped for and what a hospice can provide, if expectations were not discussed
- Very rarely, a referral is declined if criteria are not met, and another pathway is needed
The hardest part of a hospice referral is often emotional rather than practical: the fear of what it means. It can help to remember that hospice care is about living as well as possible, that referral is not only for the last days, and that many people are supported and then go home. Ask what services your local hospice offers, who to contact, and how care joins up with your GP and hospital team.
Published figures to discuss
Hospice care is a service focused on comfort and support, not a clinical procedure, so there are no complication or success rates to quote. What varies between areas is the range of services, waiting times and exact eligibility, rather than any measurable risk.
| Figure | Reported range | How to interpret it | Source / confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Referral made too late | Common | Hospice care can support symptoms, respite and planning before the final days of life. | Guide sourcesClinical context |
| Hospice misunderstood as only a place to die | Common misconception | Hospices also provide outpatient, day, community, family and symptom-control support. | Guide sourcesClinical context |
| Complex symptoms need specialist review | Common reason for hospice input | Pain, breathlessness, nausea, delirium and family distress can often be improved. | Guide sourcesClinical context |
| Preferred place of care changes | Common and acceptable | Plans should be revisited as symptoms, family capacity and wishes change. | Guide sourcesClinical context |
These are literature figures, not a personalised prediction. Your own risks and likely benefits depend on your circumstances, your health, and how your care is carried out and followed up.
What happens afterwards
There is no physical recovery, because hospice care is a service rather than a procedure. Afterwards, the focus is on how you feel: better-controlled symptoms, more support, and a plan built around what matters to you.
- Mixed feelings, including relief and sadness, after accepting hospice support
- Noticing symptoms improve over the first days of help
- Getting used to a new team and new routines
- Family feeling supported as well as you
- Care changing over time as your needs change
Aftercare
- Keep the hospice's contact details and out-of-hours number to hand.
- Tell the team promptly if symptoms change or new problems arise.
- Share your care plan and any medicine changes with your GP and family.
- Make use of the wider support on offer, such as therapies, counselling or social work.
- Let the team know your wishes about place of care, and update them if these change.
- Ask family and carers to use respite and support services when they need a break.
- Keep a list of who is involved in your care so everyone can stay joined up.
- Hospice contact and out-of-hours numbers saved
- An up-to-date list of your medicines
- Your care plan shared with GP and family
- A note of which hospice services you are using
- Names and roles of the team involved in your care
- A plan for carer respite and support
⚠ Get urgent help if…
- New or rapidly worsening symptoms, such as severe pain or breathlessness — contact your hospice or palliative care team
- Signs you cannot cope safely at home — ask the team for urgent support
- Feeling overwhelmed, very low or hopeless — tell the team so emotional support can be offered
- Thoughts of harming yourself — seek help straight away from your team, GP or the Samaritans. For urgent advice, use NHS 111 in England, Scotland or Wales; in Northern Ireland, contact your GP out-of-hours service or your HSC Trust's Phone First service. If life is at risk, call 999 or go to A&E
- A carer reaching breaking point — ask about urgent respite
- Confusion about who to call in a crisis — clarify this with the hospice in advance
Who to contact: your clinician, clinic or test provider first (keep their number to hand). For urgent advice when you can't reach them, call NHS 111. In an emergency, call 999.
General guidance — it doesn't replace the specific advice your specialist gives you.
Results & realistic expectations
A good outcome from hospice care is feeling more comfortable, better supported and more in control, with symptoms eased and worries shared. For many people this means living more fully, and for families it means knowing help is there.
Hospice care does not treat or cure the underlying illness, and it cannot change its course. What it can do is improve quality of life, support the whole family, and help care happen in the place and way you would choose, including at the end of life if that time comes.
Hospice involvement is rarely a single event. It can begin early, pause when things are stable, and step up again when needs increase. Some people are supported for months or longer, others for a shorter time. The team stays available and adjusts the level of support as your situation changes.
Related tests, treatments or support
Hospice care works alongside your GP, hospital team and community nurses, and often alongside home palliative care support, advance care planning and psychological and family support. It can continue while you have other treatments aimed at your illness, and it links with practical help such as benefits advice and equipment for the home.
Follow-up & long-term care
After your first contact, the hospice team will stay in touch, review how you are and adjust your care. They coordinate with your GP and hospital team, can arrange day visits, stays or home support, and provide a clear contact route for between-visit worries. Support for families continues, including into bereavement.
- Regular review of symptoms and how you are coping.
- Adjusting medicines and support as your needs change.
- Keeping your GP and hospital team updated so care stays joined up.
- Ongoing support for carers, including respite when needed.
Repeat, follow-on and what comes next
- The level of hospice support is meant to flex up and down as needs change, and may pause and restart.
- A short stay often ends with a return home, with the hospice remaining available.
- Care plans are reviewed regularly rather than fixed once and forgotten.
Ask what happens if the result is unclear or needs repeating, and what is included if further tests or follow-up are needed.
What good aftercare looks like
- A named contact and clear out-of-hours route for symptoms and worries.
- Regular review of symptoms and support, adjusted as needs change.
- Joined-up working with the GP, hospital and community teams.
- Practical and emotional support for the whole family.
- Bereavement support offered to those close to the person.
What affects the cost
Costs vary a great deal between people and providers, and we don't publish prices. What matters is understanding what drives the cost and making sure your quote is complete. The main things that affect it:
- Most UK hospice care is free, funded by the NHS and charities, so there is usually no charge to you
- Whether you use a charitable or NHS-linked hospice or a private palliative care provider
- The type of support: day services, home care, a stay or respite
- Any private nursing or care at home arranged separately
- Equipment or adaptations for the home, which may be funded through other routes
- Travel to and from a day service or hospice
- Confirmation that hospice care itself is free where you are referred
- What support is included and how it is arranged
- If any service is private, exactly what is charged and what is covered
- How care joins up with your GP, hospital and community teams
- What family and bereavement support is included
- Who to contact, including out of hours
On the NHS? Hospice care in the UK is usually free to patients, funded through a mix of NHS and charitable funding; private palliative care exists but is not required to access hospice support.
You're entitled to your total cost in writing — including reports, follow-up and what happens if the result is inconclusive — before you decide.
Consent traps and marketing red flags
These are not small details. They are often where patients lose choice, time to reflect, or realistic expectations.
Consent traps
- Assuming a referral means imminent death, without this being explained or true.
- Not explaining what the local hospice can and cannot provide.
- Family making decisions without the person at the centre of them.
- Not being clear about how hospice care fits with other treatment.
- No clear contact route for worsening symptoms or a crisis.
Marketing red flags
- A private provider charging heavily for support that local hospices offer free.
- Implying hospice care can treat or cure the underlying illness.
- Pressuring families into decisions at a vulnerable time.
- Vague promises of services without saying what is actually available.
Choosing a specialist safely
- Check the specialist is on the GMC Specialist Register for this area.
- Make sure they work at a CQC-registered service, and look for membership of the relevant Royal College or professional body.
- You're entitled to time to consider and to have your questions answered before you agree — the specialist who looks after you should explain it, not a salesperson.
- Be wary of pressure: time-limited offers or deposits taken before you've had time to think are red flags, not bargains.
- You're entitled to your total cost in writing — including any follow-up — before you decide.
Questions to ask your medical professional
Take this to your consultation. A good specialist will welcome every one of these.
- What services does my local hospice offer: day care, inpatient, home support and respite?
- How soon could the team see me, and who would be involved in my care?
- Can hospice support run alongside treatment for my illness?
- What support is available for my family and carers, including bereavement support?
- Who do I contact, including out of hours, if my symptoms get worse?
- Can the hospice help me be cared for at home if that is my wish?
- Are you on the GMC Specialist Register for this area, and which Royal College or professional body are you a member of?
- Will you be the specialist who carries out my appointment, and who looks after me afterwards?
- What are the risks for someone like me, and how often do your own patients have a problem or need it repeated or redone?
- What does a realistic result look like — and what can this appointment not achieve?
- What are my options, including waiting, doing nothing for now, or choosing a different approach?
- Can I have written information, results and aftercare instructions in a format I can use, including any accessibility or communication support I need?
- What is the total cost in writing, including any follow-ups, and how much time do I have to decide?
Frequently asked questions
Does a hospice referral mean I am dying?
Will I have to stay in the hospice?
Is hospice care free?
Can my family get support too?
How do I get referred?
Can I still have treatment for my illness?
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How we made this page
Medically reviewed by a GMC-registered consultant. Written in plain English, checked against NHS, NICE, GMC and relevant Royal College / specialist-society guidance, and kept under review. No clinic paid to appear on this page, and we publish no pricing. This is general information to help you prepare — it is not a substitute for advice from your own clinician. How we review our guides →
Source hierarchy: UK regulator and NHS/NICE guidance first, then relevant Royal College or specialist-society guidance, then peer-reviewed evidence for procedure-specific figures where available.
Sources & standards: Marie Curie — Hospice care NHS — What end of life care involves (hospice care) NICE — End of life care for adults (quality standard QS13) nidirect — Urgent and emergency care services nidirect — GP out-of-hours service
Reviews reflect patients' experience of care, not clinical outcomes. For procedure volumes and outcome data see PHIN.
Last medically reviewed 2026-09-21. Spotted something wrong or out of date? Report an error in this guide.
Related guides: Home palliative care support · End-of-life care planning · Psychological and family support · Anticipatory ('just in case') medicines · Palliative medicine consultation