As demand for ADHD assessments has increased significantly there has been a temporary change to local ADHD assessment arrangements, some children and young people who are currently waiting with Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust (LSCFT) will now have a new referral to Clinical Partners.
LSCFT will discharge the original referral and contact the health or education professional who submitted it. The professional will be asked to submit a new referral to Clinical Partners using the current referral form, attaching the original referral information and clearly including the date the referral was first received by LSCFT. Clinical Partners will take this original referral date into account when prioritising referrals, so that children and young people are not disadvantaged by the change in provider.
Clinical Partners will review each referral in line with its service criteria and processes and will confirm whether it has been accepted and what happens next. Referrals must be made by an appropriate health or education professional, such as a GP or school SENCO. Self-referrals cannot be accepted.
Further information about who is affected, referral arrangements and available support is provided in the FAQs below.
This change affects children and young people who were referred to LSCFT for an ADHD assessment and are currently waiting for assessment, where their referral falls within the areas and age groups covered by the new arrangements.
This will include children and young people from the following areas:
Yes. The professional making the referral should use the Lancashire and South Cumbria Children and Young People’s (CYP) ADHD referral form when making a referral.
The professional should fill in the form as fully as they can. They should include any extra information the form asks for. This helps the service check the referral and decide what happens next.
If the referral was previously sent to Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust (LSCFT), the professional should attach the original referral as evidence of the date it was first submitted.
Health and education professionals can make a referral.
If you think your child may need an ADHD assessment, speak to a health or education professional involved with your child. They can talk with you about your child's needs and can make a referral if this is the right next step.
The service depends on your child's local area and age. Your child's local area is based on their registered GP practice. If you are not sure which area to use, ask your GP or the professional making the referral. They can check which service the referral should go to.
Blackpool
Fylde and Wyre
Greater Preston, Chorley and South Ribble
East Lancashire
Blackburn with Darwen
South Cumbria (including Millom)
Lancaster and Morecambe
West Lancashire
Self-referrals are no longer accepted for this ADHD assessment service. If you originally made a self-referral, you will need to contact an appropriate health or education professional, such as your GP or your child’s school SENCO, to discuss your child’s needs.
If they consider a referral appropriate, they will need to submit this to Clinical Partners using the current referral process. They should include details of the original referral and the date it was first received by LSCFT, so that this can be taken into account when the referral is prioritised.
Clinical Partners offers both online and face-to-face ADHD assessments. The type of appointment will depend on your child's needs and circumstances.
If needed, Clinical Partners will check whether an online assessment is right for your child before booking it.
If a face-to-face assessment is right for your child, Clinical Partners will talk with you about the arrangements.
We know you may be worried about changes to local ADHD services. You may want to know what these changes mean for the time your child has already waited.
If your child's referral is moved or sent again to the new service, the person who first sent it should include the original referral date. The service will take this date into account when deciding who is seen first. This is to make sure your child is not disadvantaged by the change in service.
If your child is already being seen and their assessment has started, this will continue with LSCFT.
Clinical Partners will first check your child's referral. They will check that they have the information they need. They will also check whether this is the right service for your child. They will tell you and the person who made the referral whether it has been accepted.
If the referral goes ahead, you will be asked to fill in some questionnaires. These are sets of questions used by the assessment team to help them understand your child's needs. The team may also ask for information from your child and their school or education setting.
Clinical Partners will then contact you to explain what happens next. They will give you access to the patient portal. This is an online system used by the service. They will also arrange appointments.
If your child has been referred and you are not sure what is happening, first contact the person who made the referral.
If the new service has already accepted your child's referral, you can contact them to ask what happens next.
The ICB recognises that this is a temporary solution to a wider systemic challenge in our existing pathways for how we assess and diagnose children and young people and support them and their families. There remains full commitment from the ICB in a full transformation programme, and we are continuing to work with partners to ensure that a permanent and long term pathway is in place as soon as possible.