• Community Paediatrics

    Community paediatricians will see children and young people within hospital clinics and special educational needs schools. Our services are open to families who live in Norfolk and are registered with a GP within Norwich, South Norfolk (excluding Thetford), North Norfolk and West Norfolk.

We offer two pathways - Community Paediatrics Up to the Fifth Birthday for Developmental Concerns and Community Paediatrics for 0 to 18 Years (complex needs 0 to 19).

 

Community Paediatrics Up to the Fifth Birthday for Developmental Concerns

This is a pathway for pre-school children who present with:

  • Developmental concerns, for example delayed milestones
  • Social communication problems, for example suspected Autistic Spectrum Disorder in pre-school children
  • Speech and language problems (only if a speech and language therapist seeks a paediatric medical opinion)

For the above services, please include supporting evidence. This can include:

  • Parent/Carer Observation Questionnaire and Early Years Observation Questionnaire (both required for all children, unless not in a nursery or preschool)
  • Reports from other professionals (for example speech and language therapy, occupational therapist, physiotherapist)
  • Ages and Stages Questionnaire/Schedule of Growing Skills

Community Paediatrics 0 to 18 years (complex needs 0 to 19)

This is a pathway for children who present with:

  • Neuro-disability (for example cerebral palsy)
  • Motor delay
  • Chromosomal, metabolic disorders or genetic, inborn or acquired disorders resulting in long term complex needs or disability previously un-investigated learning disability

The service does not accept referrals for the following:

  • Acute medical illness
  • Primary eating disorders, for example anorexia and bulimia
  • Acute psychiatric or chronic mental health illness
  • Emotional and behaviour problems in children; these should first be reviewed by a health visitor, Early Help, or GP, and offered behavioural strategies, or signposting to local groups, including Supporting Smiles
  • Dyslexia and dyscalculia
  • Sleep difficulties in the absence of a diagnosed neuro-developmental disorder - refer to Sleep East either by email: joybishop@sleepeast.co.uk or 01692 402240.  NANSA also offer a sleep service. You may also to wish to download a National Sleep Helpline flyer or National Sleep Helpline poster
  • Long term chronic medical conditions such as epilepsy (unless associated with a secondary condition as described in inclusion criteria)
  • Hearing - refer directly to Audiology NNUH for more information

Please include (where possible) supporting evidence, this can include:

  • Observation questionnaires (parent/carer, early years, teacher, as appropriate)
  • Reports from other professionals (for example speech and language therapy, occupational therapist, physiotherapist)
  • Ages and Stages Questionnaire/Schedule of Growing Skills

How to Make a Referral

You can access our service through your GP, health visitor, speech and language therapist or school nurse. They will complete a referral form and supporting information may need to be obtained from other providers or agencies, for example school.

The referrals are sent to our Children's Single Point of Referral team, this is a single point of entry to all of NCHC's children's services. All referrals are examined weekly by a community paediatrician. If the referral is accepted you will receive an acceptance letter and then an appointment letter with date and time. It is important to notify the bookings team as soon as possible if you cannot attend.

What to Expect at Your Appointment

Your child will be seen by one of our specialist staff. The length of the appointment will vary and an estimate will be given in your appointment letter or email. You are expected to attend the appointment with your child.

  • During the assessment we will talk about your concerns and how your child is managing at home, nursery or school
  • We will discuss any concerns about behaviour and emotions
  • We will ask for information about your child's health and development, for example, your child's birth and family situation
  • The initial assessment may also include a physical examination
  • We will gain a clearer understanding of your child's strengths and needs

What Happens After the Initial Appointment

After the initial appointment, there could be any of the following outcomes:

  • During the appointment you may be offered some advice and strategies to help your child and no further appointment will be needed
  • We may need to see your child and/or you again for further assessment
  • We may need to refer your child to another professional for further assessment, for example a speech and language therapist, physiotherapist or occupational therapist or to another team of professionals
  • You or your child may be offered support in the form of workshops for parents/carers, group interventions for children or individual work

We will write to you following your appointment summarising the assessment, our understanding of the difficulties and will include a plan of what will happen next.

How To Contact Us

Address:  The Single Point of Referral Office, Norwich Community Hospital, Bowthorpe Road, Norwich, NR2 3TU.

Telephone: 01603 508958
Email: childrenscommunityreferrals@nchc.nhs.uk

For on-line resources to help support your child's neurodevelopment needs see the ND Digital Library for parents and carers.

Help us improve our services for children and young people

We're asking young people to talk about what it's like to use our services and share ideas.

Take a look at our leaflet for more information: Young Voices Together leaflet