Table 2 Respiratory doctors’ referrals to specialist palliative care

Reasons for referring COPD patients to palliative care

N = 113^a

 For holistic care including psychosocial and spiritual care

105 (59.3%)

 For carer support including future bereavement support

104 (58.8%)

 For future end-of-life care

94 (53.1%)

 To access community palliative care

92 (52.0%)

 To access respite care

78 (44.1%)

 For management of symptoms including breathlessness

75 (42.4%)

 For completion of advance care planning

63 (36.2%)

Reasons for not referring COPD patients to palliative care

N = 64^b

 I am capable of providing generalist palliative care myself

27 (15.3%)

 Palliative care services are difficult to access in my location

19 (10.7%)

 I do not think the patient might die in the next 12 months

13 (7.3%)

 I do not want the patient to feel abandoned by me

7 (4.0%)

 The patient does not require specialist palliative care yet

6 (3.4%)

 I do not want to take away the patient’s hope

4 (2.3%)

 Previously have not found palliative care teams helpful for COPD patients

3 (1.7%)