Pop Up Model of Care

The three Paediatric Palliative Care services located at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick and John Hunter Children’s Hospital, Newcastle work collaboratively with hospital and community services involved in the care of a child with a life limiting illness and their families.

The “Pop up Model of Care” is a recent concept established to enhance access to specialist paediatric palliative care services when needed during a child's illness.  A pop-up intervention facilitates responsive and well-coordinated palliative care by providing in-time training and education to local health providers. This may include GPs, paediatricians and community nursing services. A comprehensive care plan is made during a pop-up intervention to outline the child's care needs and guide local providers.

A pop-up intervention aims to builds capacity and enable local health services to feel confident to care for patients and their families at home or as close to home as possible.  It aims to establish a network of care around a child and family supported by the specialist service.

A Network of Care

 

The multidisciplinary PPC team will make an assessment for when a pop-up consultation is needed. This is guided by:

• The clinical need of the patient
• Psychosocial care of the family
• Education needs of local clinicians
• Geographical location (e.g rural/remote locations)
• Bereavement folllow up

Ongoing pop-up interventions may be necessary throughout a child's illness to address the changing care needs requiring support by the specialist services.