This early intervention-based approach and signposting has made a significant difference for children and their families . It has improved their health and wellbeing , satisfaction and access to services . It has reduced appointments for GPs with low re-referral numbers back to the GPs .”
This early intervention-based approach and signposting has made a significant difference for children and their families . It has improved their health and wellbeing , satisfaction and access to services . It has reduced appointments for GPs with low re-referral numbers back to the GPs .”
• Using clinician knowledge of referral pathways to enable access to relevant resources earlier in the patient journey .
• Referring the child for a pre-school multiagency assessment ( MAA ) – when an occupational therapist , speech and language therapist and paediatrician consider / give a developmental diagnosis such as autism and global developmental delay using the DSM-IV Criteria – or , if school age , writing to the school to gain academic information for a referral to the paediatrician .
• Providing direct access to sensory based advice , parent hand-outs , picky eating advice , useful links , and sensory parenting online training .
• Directing parents to local parenting courses and early help services for children with behavioural based support needs .
Our impact
In 14 months , 130 patients have booked into the occupational therapy clinics . Most of these were new patients ( 92 %) and only 8 % were for follow up appointments .
Most powerfully , 98 % of new patients were assessed , had an intervention and were discharged satisfactorily after just one appointment . In fact , only 15 % required onward referral to the outpatient occupational therapy service at UHD for more in-depth assessment and intervention .
This early intervention-based approach and signposting has made a significant difference for children and their families . It has improved their health and wellbeing , satisfaction and access to services . It has reduced appointments for GPs with low re-referral numbers back to the GPs .
It has also enabled GPs belonging to the PCN access to a paediatric specific service when services for children / young people have increasing wait times .
In 2022 , the GP network initially agreed to fund ten 20-minute sessions a month for children aged 0-19 years . In 2023 , because of the service success , this was expanded to twelve 30-minute sessions a month . The longer session time is because parents often come with wider concerns , outside of the medical model .
Currently , there is expanding demand for the first contact practitioner occupational therapy children ’ s service . This is due to increased understanding of the occupational therapy role for children in primary care . Providing in-service training and guidance documents about types of relevant referrals has improved GPs knowledge of the service offer .
Next steps
The aim is to expand the first contact practitioner occupational therapy children ’ s service across other local primary care networks . This will enhance the patient journey and offer equitable access to early intervention for children , young people , and families .
This will also increase workforce development opportunities for therapy staff , to utilise their expertise earlier in the patient journey .
We wish to thank Poole PCN for this collaborative initiative , working across systems to improve local services .
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NHS Health Education England ( 2021 ) First contact practitioners and advanced practitioners in primary care – occupational therapy : A roadmap to practice . Available at https :// bit . ly / 3QYL6d2 [ accessed 20 September 2023 ].
Royal College of Occupational Therapists ( 2023 ) Children and Young People ’ s Occupational Therapy Survey . Available at https :// bit . ly / 3tiO83s [ accessed 3 November 2023 ].
Words ALANNAH PASOKHY-HOLMES , First Contact Practitioner Paediatric Occupational Therapist in Primary Care , CAROLINE MORRIS , First Contact Practitioner Physiotherapist , and KARINA PARISH , Paediatric Therapy Services Lead Physiotherapist . To find out more about this service contact alannah . pasokhy @ uhd . nhs . uk , caroline . morris @ uhd . nhs . uk or karina . parish @ uhd . nhs . uk
60 OTnews December 2023