Holistic patient-centred care (PCC) is often regarded as the quintessence of nursing practice. However, closer examination reveals that provision of care for patients with a physical illness or disability is centred around their compromised physical condition rather than their individual needs. Often, little attention is given to 'total care' and negotiation with the patient is largely excluded. This is evident in the continued use of medical models of care and the assumption that physical needs are the priority for practice. This article presents an alternative--the PCC model. This is a multiprofessional, reflective model which facilitates an unbiased and non-presumptuous approach, thereby overriding the tendency of healthcare professionals to rely on paternalistic and habitual practice. It empowers patients, allowing them to determine their own needs, and encourages reflection, self-awareness and personal and professional growth in the healthcare professionals who adopt it. Although the model was devised and piloted within a hospice it has the potential to be adapted for use in any healthcare setting.