This paper provides an overview of the literature on health professionals' perceptions of hope with particular reference to care at the end of life, drawing predominantly on work reported from the fields of medicine and nursing. Various frameworks have been proposed for the maintenance of hope in those who are critically ill or dying and these are outlined. Strategies for maintaining or engendering hope, particularly for those who are dying, are identified. Comment is made on the importance of hope inspiration in maintaining the quality of life of people who are dying. Although there is a growing body of literature on hope, the principles enunciated are not always borne out by health professionals in their clinical practice. The conclusion identifies the common elements of hope described in the literature that are central to the maintenance of an individual's quality of life.