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An out-of-hours helpline has been launched for people caring for children and young people with life-threatening and life-limiting health conditions.

The phone line has been introduced by the West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership as part of a six-month pilot.

Under the scheme, specialist paediatric palliative care nurses and doctors from Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice and Martin House will provide support over the phone between 18:00-08:00 BST on weeknights and 24 hours a day on weekends.

The service said it aimed to "address the needs of families living in West Yorkshire and the professionals who also care for them".

A spokesperson for the service, a collaboration between the West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board and the two charities, said it would offer families reassurance, expert guidance and signposting to appropriate services.

It is hoped the service would also reduce avoidable hospital admissions.

Gareth Pierce, chief executive of Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice, said: “We understand how frightening it can be for families when a crisis occurs during the night and their usual healthcare teams are unavailable.

"This pilot service will provide families with peace of mind, knowing that compassionate, expert advice is a phone call away."

Details for the line, which is live, can be found on the website.

Clair Holdsworth, chief executive of Martin House, described the service as "another step towards making palliative care more accessible for all who need it".

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