Some of the children and young people that we work with may need additional support during their hospital journey, so we have a patient referral system in place which allows us to better meet their needs. Referrals can come to us from a range of people including doctors, specialist nurses, surgeons, psychologists, disability nurses and allied health professionals such as physiotherapists.
Reasons a child or young person may be referred to us could include:
- Procedural anxiety
- Needle phobia
- Preparation for procedures
- Medication challenges
- Post procedural play
- Needing reasonable adjustments
Once we receive a referral it is allocated to the most appropriate team member, who will contact the family to get more information and talk through possible options before planning and arranging for work and support to begin with the child or young person.
If you are visiting the hospital with a child or young person who you feel would benefit from Play Service support, please contact your ward or department, who will be able to put you in touch with the appropriate member of the Play Team. Alternatively you could speak to your child or young person’s consultant, who will be able to make a referral using our email referral service.