Bell’s palsy is the most common cause of facial palsy and presents as a unilateral lower motor neurone facial weakness in association with sensory and parasympathetic dysfunction. Maximal facial weakness occurs within 72 hours and most cases recover over the following few weeks. It is essential to consider alternative causes of acute peripheral facial palsy including: infection, malignancy and autoimmune disease. Urgent referral to neurology or ENT, depending on local referral pathways, is warranted if there is uncertainty about the diagnosis or there are atypical features.