Health Notifications and Access to Services

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 Manager of the home should arrange for the following:

• For the child to be allocated with a Link Worker (Keyworker) 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 Link/Keyworker will also be responsible for ensuring that up to date 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 Keyworker Guidance);
• For the child to be registered with a GP and to register them with the local pharmacy for minor ailments;
• For the child to have access to a Dentist in the home's locality;
• 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 as set out in Health Care Assessments and Plans Procedure.

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.

The Home's 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. TAPS team to be involved at admission and start internal assessment.

Staff should have sufficient understanding of relevant health services including the function of the Designated Nurse for Looked After Children. The home should liaise with the child's placing authority to enable proper and immediate access to any specialist medical, psychological or psychiatric support. Staff challenge if these services are not met or they do not happen for the child.

If a child's needs are such that specialist health care is required e.g. children with a disability or visual impairment, the Home's Manager must ensure that local specialist services are secured, in conjunction with the Social Worker and relevant healthcare professionals from the Placing Authority. The Home's Manager should keep the General Medical Practitioner informed of the process of care and any suggested changed to the child's care.

If there are any serious concerns about the emotional or mental health of a child, the Home's 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. At this stage revisit TAPS team involvement.

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

Also see Registration of Healthcare at Children's Homes.

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 appointments; and they should be informed of the outcome.

See Consents and Delegated Authority.

As appropriate, the Chronology/Referral and 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.