Health Notifications and Access to Services

Contents

1. Notifications and Registrations
2. Access to Health & Specialist Services
3. Appointments
   
   Further Information

1. Notifications and Registrations

When a child is placed in a home, the social worker must arrange for the Health Authority, in the area where a child is placed, to be notified of the placement.

The Director of the home should arrange for the following:

• For the child to be allocated with a Key Worker who will be responsible for promoting his/her health and educational achievement, liaising with key professionals, including the Clinical Nurse Specialist, the child's GP and dental practitioner. The Key Worker will also be responsible for ensuring that up to date with information is kept on the child in relation to his/her health needs, development, illnesses, operations, immunisations, allergies, medications, administered, dates of appointments with GP's and specialists (see Key Worker Guidance);
• For the child to be registered with a GP (in Wales: no later than 10 working days after the child is placed);
• For the child to have access to a Dentist in the home's locality (in Wales: no later than 20 working days after the child is placed);
• For the child to be registered with an Optician in the home's locality;
• For a Health Care Assessment to be carried out in relation to the child (in Wales: within 14 days of the child's placement), as set out in Health Care Assessments and Plans Procedures.

Details of the registration or any changes must be recorded, by the social worker, in the Placement Information Record, a copy of which must be forwarded to the home by the Social Worker, at the latest, within 14 days of the placement.

Additionally, the child's Medical Record should be updated.

2. Access to Health and Specialist Services

The Director/Registered Manager must ensure the home has good links with health agencies, is well informed about local health services such as CAMHS and sexual health services in the area it covers and takes this into account when deciding on admissions.

If a Child's needs are such that specialist health care is required e.g. children with a disability or visual impairment, the Director must ensure that local specialist services are secured, in conjunction with the Social Worker and relevant healthcare professionals from the Placing Authority.

If there are any serious concerns about the emotional or mental health of a child, the Director/Registered Manager must alert the Social Worker, and seek a review of the Child's placement and/.or request an assessment under the Mental Health Act 1983.

Any strategies/services that are provided, must be outlined in the Child's Placement Plan/Health Care Plan.

3. Appointments

If children appear to require or request it, appointments should be made for them to see their GP or other medical practitioners as appropriate.

When appointments are made, account should be taken of the child's wishes, for example, to see a practitioner of a preferred gender. Also, appointments should preferably be made which do not disrupt the child's education.

Parents, those with Parental Responsibility and the child's social worker should, if possible, be consulted before making non-routine appointments; and they should be informed of the outcome.

See: Consents and Delegated Authority Procedure.

As appropriate, the Essential Information Record should be updated to take account of these appointments. Care should be taken to ensure that the top copy, held by the social worker, and the copy held in the home are updated.

Additionally, the child's Medical Record should be updated.

Further Information

Legislation, Statutory Guidance and Government Non-Statutory Guidance

DfE and DHSC Statutory Guidance on Promoting the Health and Well-being of Looked After Children

Who Pays? Determining which NHS commissioner is responsible for making payment to a provider.