3.3 Promoting Children's Health |
SCOPE OF THIS CHAPTER
This Chapter outlines the procedures for registering children with GP's, Dentists and Opticians, and the making of appointments.
- For procedures relating to First Aid, Home Remedies, Medication or Medical emergencies, see First Aid and Medication Procedure
- For Procedures relating to Accidents, see Accidents Procedure
Contents
1. Notifications and Registrations
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 Keyworker who will be responsible for promoting his/her health and educational achievement, liasing with key professionals, including the Clinical Nurse Specialist, the child’s GP and dental practitioner. The Keyworker will also be responsible for ensuring that up to date with 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 Responsibilities Guidance)
- For the child to be registered with a GP no later than 10 working days after the child is placed
- For the child to have access to a Dentist in the home's locality no later than 20 working days after the child is placed
- For the child to be registered with an Optician in the home's locality
- For a Health Care Assessment to be undertaken before the first placement, or if not reasonably practicable, before the first Looked After Review unless one has been done with the previous 3 month. See 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, at the latest, within 14 days of the placement.
2. Appointments
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 Guidance - to follow
As appropriate, the Chronology should be updated to take account of these appointments.
End