Your Huntercombe How do I make a referral?

Transcription

1 Your Huntercombe How do I make a referral?

2 How do I make a referral? You may recently have become unwell, suffered an injury or maybe you know someone who you feel needs further help and advice about their illness? We understand how complex this may seem, especially to those in a state of anxiety or stress; we hope to help alleviate some of the complexities in asking for help. This page outlines the referral process and guidance on gaining further support and advice should you feel you need it. How does The Huntercombe Group referral process work? The Huntercombe Group provides in-patient care for a range of conditions and some post-discharge out-patient services. We work in collaboration with the NHS and Local Authorities to provide specialist health and social care services. As a patient you will either receive care under the NHS, self-pay or from case managers, below you will find a brief description of referrers that can refer to us. NHS and Local Authorities All of our services are delivered on behalf of public sector health and social care organisations this is how the majority of patients receive treatment. Self-Pay Our self-pay services are only offered to individuals wishing to self-refer and are currently only available in our addiction services. We still however encourage individuals to speak with their GP prior to referring. Case Managers/Injury Solicitors Case Managers or Injury solicitors also make referrals to our services, mostly within specialist brain injury services. They may represent individuals who have suffered a traumatic brain injury and are seeking compensation, it is this compensation that may pay for a patients rehabilitation, treatment or care for a specified period of time. Headway ( the brain injury association ) provides an excellent overview of personal injury lawyers and their role. We are unable to accept referrals from prospective patients, carers or family members except from the exclusions listed above. 2

3 What can I do if I want to get a referral for specialist care? In the first instance you should make an appointment with your GP to discuss any concerns you have. It may be worthwhile jotting down any symptoms you are experiencing and how you feel they are managed currently. It may be a good idea to do this beforehand as this may help to focus your consultation. You can download our GP consultation note, print this off, complete it and take it with you. If your GP feels you need a specialist consultation they will refer you to the appropriate service for your illness or condition ( if you are not already under the care of a hospital department in which case your GP may asked for you to be seen again). If your overseeing consultant feels you require a period of in-patient care they will make a recommendation for referral to the commissioner in charge of your care, the commissioner will then decide which hospital or specialist centre is best for your care. If your condition falls under specialised commissioning arrangements then your treatment and referral pathway may already be defined (see the NHS England website for further information). Regardless of your route into specialist healthcare services, patients and family are often consulted with throughout the referral process and this is referred to as patient choice and is a key initiative of the Governments strategy for health. If you are involved in an accident or suffer an injury to the brain Brain Injury Services referrals can sometimes work slightly differently to our other admission processes in other service areas and that is largely due to the patient and the route in which they may access the healthcare system. For some individuals who may be involved in accidents or suffer a traumatic injury to the brain they will be taken to hospital to receive prompt treatment. Often these patients will be transferred to a specialist NHS hospital that can treat and care for individuals where a head injury has occurred. Once the patient has been stabilised on a neurological or intensive care ward and following any required surgery the hospital consultant will make a recommendation for the on-going care of that patient. If rehabilitation is a possible outcome for that patient they may be recommended for a period of specialist rehabilitation treatment with a specialist provider (NHS and independent providers offer this), however if a patients prognosis is not as clear they may recommended slow stream rehabilitation programme or specialist neurological care and management of their condition. (Longer term neurological care is often provided by independent and voluntary sector providers). 3

4 Again the consultant will likely discuss patient care plans with families or carers and discuss options for the next steps in patient care. The NHS Choices website is a good source of information when considering appropriate services. You can also visit provider websites to find out more about the care and environment they deliver their care. Headway a charity organisation is also an excellent source of advice and information. Remember You can always ask a friend or family member to come with you if you would like If you don t understand any words, ask for them to be written down and explained Use the reverse of this note to write things down, or you could even ask your friend or family member to Remember to ask if you are unsure Check that you understand what will happen after your appointment and who you can contact if you have any more problems 4

5 Further Information Please visit our useful links section for further information, advice and support. Consultation Date: Describe your symptoms How regularly are you getting these symptoms, does anything make them worse? When did your symptoms start? On a scale of 0 to 10 how well do you feel you are managing your condition/illness currently? (not at all) (extremely well) What are your current medications and pills (including vitamins and supplements?) 5