Survey of specialist palliative care and heart failure: September 2004.

Aims: To describe English specialist palliative care (SPC) services' provision for, and attitude to, heart failure patients, and to identify developments of particular interest or expertise in this area.

Method: Postal survey of all lead consultants of English SPC services, September 2004.

Results: Of 397 services, 233 replied (response rate 59%); 222 (95%) thought SPC had a role in severe/end stage heart failure, while three (1%) did not.