Health services for post 16 with SEND
Links to the relevant information on NHS websites, to help you understand who all the different professionals are.
There are a number of health professionals who may become involved with you and your family, and it can be difficult to know who they all are, what they do and how you can access their services.
We have provided links here to the relevant information on NHS websites, to help you understand who the professionals are. In most cases the websites tell you about the services, where they are based and most importantly what the referral route is to getting the support and help they offer.
Health Provision in Worcestershire
Dental (Worcestershire Community Dental Service
Worcestershire Community Dental Service is a referral only service providing treatment to patients with a disability, learning difficulty or behavioural condition, such as dental anxiety, which can make it difficult for the patient to attend a general dental practice.
Podiatry
The Podiatry Service in Worcestershire provides triage, screening, assessment, diagnosis, treatment and foot health education to patients with foot condition or a medical condition that affects the lower limb and foot. Having one of these conditions could result in a foot wound, ulcer, pain, infection or amputation.
Wheelchair, Posture & Mobility Service
The wheelchair, posture and mobility service is a county-wide service offering assessment, provision and ongoing maintenance of wheelchairs and specialised seating to people with a high level of need. The service is based at Crown Lane, Wychbold and is made up of occupational therapists, physiotherapists, rehabilitation engineers and technicians. The clinical team is fully supported by an administrative team.
Integrated Community Equipment Service
The Integrated Community Equipment Service (ICES) supplies equipment to meet assessed needs of people with disabilities, to maintain their health and independence within the community. Equipment is also provided to facilitate safe discharges, prevent admission and support End of Life care. Equipment can only be ordered by qualified clinicians.
NHS Continuing Care
NHS Continuing Healthcare is the package of care which is arranged and funded solely by the NHS for individuals, aged 18 years and over outside of hospital who have been deemed to have a “Primary Health Need” and have on-going complex, intense or unpredictable healthcare needs. NHS Continuing Healthcare can be provided by the NHS in a residential home, nursing home or at the patient’s own home.
School Health Nursing
The service offers a variety of support for Children and Young People. We provide support and guidance to schools regarding public health issues, brief interventions and health promotion such as smoking, emotional health and well-being needs. We influence and champion health promoting activities and programmes both in and out of school and work closely with other professionals and local communities.
Special School Nursing
The Special School Nursing service supports the Health care needs of children and young people attending one of 7 Worcestershire Special Schools which are provided through two Locality bases.
Sexual Health Service (WISH)
Worcestershire Integrated Sexual Health Service (WISH) provides free and confidential county-wide services including advice and treatment on sexually transmitted infections, genital infections, routine and specialist contraception, pregnancy advice and vasectomy services.
Transition to Adulthood toolkit for supporting young people with life-limiting illness
Herefordshire and Worcestershire Integrated Care System have developed a transition to adulthood toolkit to support young people with life-limiting illness. It contains a collection of resources and information to support their transition from children’s to adult services.
There are sections for young people, parent carers and professionals.
Adult Mental Health Services
Single Point of Access (Adult and Older Adult Mental Health) – Worcestershire
The Worcestershire Adult and Older Adult Mental Health Single Point of Access (SPA) supports health care professionals by providing a simple, easy way to refer both urgent and routine adult mental health patients to the most appropriate service.
The Single Point of Access is staffed by experienced clinicians from both primary and secondary mental health services (adult and older adult) to ensure that all referrals are assessed and allocated to the most appropriate service.
Community Assessment and Recovery Service (CARS) (North Worcestershire)
The Community Assessment and Recovery Service (CARS) offers a recovery focused provision to adults who are experiencing a more serious mental illness. CARS was previously known as Community Mental Health Teams (CMHTs).
Healthy Minds 16+
Worcestershire Healthy Minds support people, aged 16 and over, who are experiencing problems such as stress, anxiety, low mood and depression. We are a free, confidential service offering a range of talking therapies and support including short courses, online therapies, and guided self- help. To access the service you must be aged 16 or over and registered with a GP in Worcestershire.
Early Intervention Service
Worcestershire's Early Intervention Service addresses the needs of young people (aged 14-35) with a first episode of psychosis or of bipolar disorder (specifically bipolar one). We also offer a time-limited intervention to young people with an At Risk Mental State (ARMS).
Eating Disorder Outpatient Therapy Service (Adult's) - Worcestershire
We are a countywide service for anyone experiencing eating difficulties that are impacting on their physical and mental health. We offer assessment and interventions based upon individual need. Our teams are based across 5 sites within the Worcestershire area, Malvern, Evesham, Worcester, Redditch and Kidderminster.
NHS: Adult's Eating Disorders Service
Home Treatment Teams
The Home Treatment teams work with patients during acute episodes of mental illness or mental disorder to provide an alternative to psychiatric hospital admission.
Mental Health Liaison - Worcestershire
The Mental Health Liaison Team provides comprehensive assessment to all people, regardless of age, who attend Worcestershire Royal Hospital and the Alexandra Hospital Emergency Departments following an episode of self-harm, attempted suicide or presenting with symptoms of mental illness.
Learning Disabilities
Learning Disabilities - Community Service
The Community Learning Disability Team provides specialist healthcare to adults with learning disabilities whose needs cannot be met by mainstream services alone. The team helps to ensure that people with learning disabilities receive the same care and treatment as everyone else when there is a concern about their physical or mental health. The Community Health Learning Disability Team is for people with a learning disability. They are a multi-disciplinary team made up of:;
- Community Learning Disability Nurses
- Behaviour Nurses
- Epilepsy Nurses
- Psychiatrists
- Psychologists
- Physiotherapists
- Speech and Language Therapists
- Occupational Therapists
- Health Care Support Workers
Learning Disabilities - Enhanced Care Service (ECS)
The Enhanced Care Service Team's aim is to promote the independence, inclusion and wellbeing of people with learning disabilities who have additional complex needs/ behavioural needs. We do this by working intensively with the people we support, their families and partner agencies to deliver innovative, high quality services.
Learning Disabilities – Psychology
A learning disability affects the way a person understands information and how they communicate. This means they can have difficulty; understanding new or complex information, learning new skills and coping independently.
Therapies
Physiotherapy - Musculoskeletal Outpatients Service
Aches and pains are a normal part of life. However, they can prevent you from carrying out your usual day-to-day activities and can make you feel worried and frustrated. The good news is that most of the conditions that cause these aches and pains can be easily treated by you, at home. Click on the below links for advice and information from our clinicians to help you do this.
NHS: Physiotherapy - Outpatients Service
Physiotherapy helps restore movement and function when someone is affected by injury, illness or disability. Physiotherapists help people through education and advice, movement and exercise, manual therapy, electrotherapy, acupuncture and injection therapy. Physiotherapists provide appropriate aids such as walking sticks or crutches. They assess for altered biomechanics and can provide appropriate orthotics. Physiotherapists help people of all ages maintain their health and fitness, helping patients to manage pain and prevent disease. At the core is the patient’s involvement in their own care, through education, awareness, empowerment and participation in their own treatment.
Occupational Therapy (Adaptations, equipment and housing)
Occupational Therapists (OTs) work with people with disabilities. Our aim is to help people live as independently as possible.
NHS: Occupational Therapy - Adaptations, Equipment & Housing
Speech and Language Therapy Service (Adults)
The Adult Speech and Language Therapy Service provides assessment and treatment for adults aged 16+ with acquired communication and/or swallowing difficulties. We are based in clinics and Community Hospitals across the county. We also provide specialist clinics and services such as Videofluoroscopy and LSVT.
Complex Neurological Conditions
A neurological condition results from disease, injury or damage to the body’s nervous system. There is a wide variety of neurological conditions and people have very different experiences. Neurological conditions can cause a range of problems for the individual that may include physical or movement problems, altered sensation, communication, problems with memory or behaviour. People with long term neurological conditions also face complex challenges in trying to live as they would wish. Providing appropriate information, practical advice and support, together with co-ordinating health and care resources, helps to reduce these difficulties, promote health and improve quality of life.
NHS: Worcestershire Integrated Neurological Rehabilitation Services
Spasticity
Spasticity and spasms are symptoms often associated with multiple sclerosis, acquired brain injury, spinal cord injury and stroke. It occurs when nerve pathways connecting the brain spinal cord and muscles are disrupted. Spasticity can be described as involuntary muscle stiffness and spasms as involuntary muscle contractions. Any muscle can be affected but spasticity and spasms tend to predominantly affect a person’s limbs or trunk. People with spasticity describe their muscles as feeling stiff, heavy and difficult to move. When very severe it can be very difficult to bend a limb at all and if a limb becomes fixed in one position it is known as a contracture. Other features associated with spasticity and spasms include pain, weakness and amble clonus (repetitive up and down movement of feet).
Neighbourhood Teams
Neighbourhood Teams bring together a range of professionals, including district nurses, therapists, GPs, and social care staff into one of 13 teams providing care and treatment to patients in their own homes. The aim is to deliver more proactive and responsive care to reduce unnecessary hospital admissions or repeat GP appointments wherever possible.
Palliative Care Services (Redditch and Bromsgrove)
The community specialist palliative care teams work closely with other health care professionals such as General Practitioners, District Nurses, hospital teams and hospices. Our aim is to offer advice in the management of complex symptoms and offer emotional support to the patient and their family.
Dietetics
The community nutrition and dietetic service provides nutritional assessment and treatment for adult inpatients in community hospitals, mental health units and enterally fed adults who live in their own home. The team also provide support for enterally fed children and non-tube fed children in the community who are referred by community paediatricians or CAMHS.
Continence
Continence problems affects about 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men. The good news is that in 70% of people the symptoms can be improved and even cured