We welcome referrals from any source, on the understanding that it has been discussed with the child or young person’s family. Families and young people may refer themselves.

• Parental permission is sought to request medical information about the child’s illness and prognosis.

• A home visit may then be arranged to discuss the referral further and establish what support the family is looking for.

• Referrals are discussed monthly with the Clinical Nurse Manager, Community Team Manager, medical advisor and GP.

• All young people accepted are subject to review on an annual basis.

When a family have been accepted, the level of support offered to them is dependent on their needs and the stage of the child or young person’s illness.

Acceptance Criteria

• Children and young people with life-shortening conditions who are unlikely to reach their 19th birthday

• Aged from birth to 17 years at first referral (pre-birth referrals are also considered)

• Families must reside within West Sussex, East Sussex, Brighton & Hove or South East Hampshire

• New referrals for young people aged over 17 years will be assessed sensitively according to life expectancy and needs. Every effort will be made to investigate options for ongoing support after 19 years should this be required.

You can download the relevant leaflets and forms to the bottom of the page.

For information about Data Protection and how we might use your personal data please visit our Data Protection page or download the leaflet below.

Caldicott Guardian

Cathy Stone, Clinical Director, is the Caldicott Guardian for Chestnut Tree House. She is responsible for protecting the confidentiality of the children and families’ information and enabling appropriate information sharing. If you require more information regarding this please contact ukcgcsecretariat@nhs.net