Getting it Right: A Dilemma of Multidisciplinary Working in a Paediatric Liaison Team

Where diagnosis is uncertain much anxiety is generated, and in complex and confusing cases different members of a multidisciplinary team may elicit different information, pursue different lines of enquiry, and come to very different conclusions. The family will also have a set of beliefs and ideas about the illness, which may differ from the professionals ’ view, and teams need to recognize that the child will be returned to that belief system on discharge. The following case study advocates including the family in some of the team meetings and listening to their viewpoint and belief system in order to obtain a more satisfactory outcome for the child. K E Y WO R D S multidisciplinary team, parent participation, paediatric liaiso