Referral Pathways and the Children's Low Vision Project in Wales

Nathan Davies

Children's Low Vision Advocate for Wales

RNIB Cymru

Structure of Presentation

• Background information

• Evaluation of referral pathway system in Wales

• Audit of individual cases in Cardiff

• Conclusion

The way it was….

Health

Education

Families

Social

Services

The way we wanted it to be…

Health Education

Social Services

Families

Development of Referral Forms CYP 1 and CYP 2 • Discussion Group Meetings 2005

• CYP 1 for health professionals

• CYP 2 for education and social services

• To share information and make referrals

Distribution of CYP 1 and CYP 2 • CDs

• Website:

www.wales.nhs.uk/sites3/page.cfm?pid=12229&orgid=562

• Endorsed by Welsh Assembly Government

Evaluation of CYP 1 and 2

• Two sister paper-based questionnaires

• Version A for health professionals

• Version B for education and social services

• October 2007, 367 professionals were sent questionnaires

Evaluation of CYP 1 and 2

• 216 health professionals

• 151 education and social services professionals

• Final overall response rate of 38% ( 141 responses)

Routine use of CYP 1 and 2

• 12% of health professionals routinely use CYP 1

• 20% education and social services professionals routinely use CYP 2

Reasons for not using CYP 1 and CYP 2

???

Other findings

• Professionals would prefer to receive standard forms CYP 1 and 2

• Inter-agency working protocols

• Awareness of other practices and procedures

Audit of cases in Cardiff

• Detailed audit of referral pathway of individual children seen at University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff

• Supported by Mr Patrick Watts

• Early stages at present

Aims of Audit

1. Map the referral pathway of individual children

2. Find out the take up of community based Low Vision services

3. Identify barriers to referral

4. Find out if information was shared with University Hospital Wales

Process

• Cross reference children referred by UHW with children registered on Children's Low Vision Project database

• Identify discrepancies and find out reasons

• Make recommendations

Conclusion

• Referral systems in place

• Multi-agency working

• Discussion Group Meetings

Nathan Davies

Children's Low Vision Advocate for Wales nathan.davies@rnib.org.uk

02920 44 9552