From diagnosis to death: Exploring the interface between neurology, rehabilitation and palliative care in managing people with long-term neurological conditions

Abstract

This article reports a parallel survey of consultants working in the fields of neurology, rehabilitation and palliative medicine, and explores the interface between the three specialties in providing services for people with long-term neurological conditions. There was general agreement with respect to the core contributions offered by each specialty. However, there were also important areas of overlap which highlight the need for collaborative working practice, and for clinicians to respect the expertise of others in related areas. The survey highlighted a general shortfall in service provision for both palliative care and rehabilitation services for people with long-term neurological conditions, particular in the community. There was also a marked lack of coordination between services. Perhaps not surprisingly, each specialty reported greater ease of access to services within their own field, which further emphasises the need to work closely together.