You can ask to be added to the learning disability register by contacting your GP to explain how your learning disability affects you and the support you need. This may mean you get the right support when visiting the doctor’s surgery or while making an appointment. 

To find out more about the Learning disability register visit: Everything you need to know about the learning disability register | Mencap.

It is important that everyone over the age of 14 who is on their doctor's learning disability register has an annual health check as they can be involved with you leading into adulthood. An annual health check can help you stay well by talking to a doctor or nurse about your health and finding any problems early, so they can be sorted out. Your GP can see you for any health issues that are not urgent or life threatening, and they can also sort out your prescriptions for you.

To find out more about the Learning Disability Annual Health checks and how this can help you visit NHS Learning disabilities - Annual health checks.

The healthcare passport ‘All About Me’ was published for those who access Children’s Services at Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust to remove their anxiety about meeting healthcare professionals for the first time. The 12-page document enables healthcare professionals seeing a child for the first time to understand their medical needs and how they can be best supported. 

To find out more, speak to your health professional at your next appointment.

The SEND Team includes Specialist Health Visitor, Specialist School Nurses and Public Health Associates. If you and your family find you are having significant difficulties, for example your child has a Special Educational Need or Disability (SEND) or a medical condition you will receive specialist support from our SEND Team within the 0-19 Service.  

They can offer advice and support, carry out health and development checks and signpost to other services as necessary. They are able to provide a more holistic and intensive package of care to support you and your child.

The Specialist Health Visitor for SEND

Will help with the initial assessments when children under 5 are not meeting their age-appropriate milestones and provide extra support and signposting as necessary.

Specialist school nurse

A school nurse for the special schools will support a child and family with their health needs including support at medicals and with the development of your child’s Education Health Care Plan (EHCP). 

There are Specialist School Nurses who work to support children and young people with SEND within 

• special schools
• and in mainstream schools.

Contact

• rwh-tr.0-19service@nhs.net
• 01902 441057 

If you are a young person that is pregnant and have vulnerabilities or suffering with your mental health then you may be referred to the Partnering Families Team who work with first time young mothers.  Your midwife may also refer you to the perinatal mental health team but will discuss it with you first.

Email: rwh-tr.partneringfamiliesteam@nhs.net

The Health Inclusion Team (HIT) works with vulnerable families and children aged 0-19 in Wolverhampton who are at risk of being socially excluded and therefore face barriers when accessing health care resulting in poor health outcomes.

The service is for - Gypsy, Traveller, refugee and migrant families plus those who are living in temporary accommodation or Havens.

Contact

• 01902 441057

Speech and Language Therapists (SLTs) work in partnership with children, adults, their families and education staff to support and care for those who have difficulties with communication, eating, drinking or swallowing.

The Children’s Speech and Language Therapy service is available to children and young people aged 0 to 18 years old, or up to the age of 19 years if they are in full time education at school or college. 

Support

• SLTs assess and treat speech, language and communication needs to help children and young people communicate effectively. 
• They also assess, treat and develop personalised plans to support people who have eating/drinking and swallowing problems. 
• Using specialist skills, SLTs work directly with children/ young people and their carers to provide tailored support. They also work closely with other professionals to reduce the impact of these difficulties.
• Parents have the opportunity to attend appointments including therapy sessions.
• The SLT service have developed information leaflets on a range of communication and feeding difficulties that are available in clinics.
• All schools and settings in Wolverhampton have a SLT resource folder which contains strategies and activities to support communication

How to access the service 

Anyone can refer a child to this service with parental permission, this includes Health visitors, GPs, Consultants, teachers and parents. Parents may need to speak to a health professional to find out about the self-referral process.

How to give a compliment or compliant about the service

The views of parents and education staff are important. They obtain both verbal and written feedback via questionnaires to help shape the SLT service.

They also encourage parents to contact the SLT department to discuss any concerns they may have regarding their child’s speech and language intervention.

Aiming to resolve concerns quickly following departmental and Trust guidelines.

The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust service feedback can also be provided by visiting Patient experience team.

Contact

• Telephone: 01902 444363
• Speech and Language Therapy Service, The Gem Centre, Neachells Lane, Wednesfield, Wolverhampton, West Midlands, WV11 3PG
• Visit website

Some dentists may be able to treat people with special needs in their surgery. However, for many reasons you may not be able to get your child to your dental practice because of a disability, medical condition or they may feel anxious about a visit. In this case, the dentist should refer them, as their patient, to a more specialised dental service.

The Wolverhampton Special Care Dental Service (WSCDS) is a unique service that provides dental care and treatment for special care patients including vulnerable and hard-to-reach groups in the area.

They provide comprehensive NHS dental care for individuals living in Wolverhampton or who have a Wolverhampton GP, who may have difficulty obtaining such care in general dental services. This includes but is not limited to children and young people with severe learning disabilities, physical disabilities and those with severe autistic spectrum disorders.

The service is provided from 3 clinics, Pendeford Health Centre, Phoenix Health Centre and Pennfields Health Centre, as well as Special schools and PRU provision they offer Mobile Dental Unit. 

Contact

• E-mail: rwh-tr.Pennfields-Dental-services@nhs.net
• Telephone: 01902 444182
• Visit website

Support is available to children and young people (CYP) aged 0-16 years of age, (0-19 with an active Education, Health and Care Plan EHCP) who are registered with a GP in Wolverhampton, and who have a physical difficulty which is compromising their motor development or function. 

We work with children and young people who have neurological (brain), neuromuscular (brain and muscle) developmental, musculoskeletal and orthopaedic (body) conditions who may also have complex long-term medical needs. The focus is on maximising the child or young person’s physical ability within their everyday activities at home, in education and in their community.

They are flexible about where therapy sessions take place in order to best meet your needs and to use their resources wisely. Therapists work in the community in a wide range of settings, these include family homes, community clinics, hospital, schools, nurseries and children’s centres.

Support

• Specialist assessment and intervention for children and young people who present with physical difficulties that compromise their motor development or function.
• Support for parents, carers and educational staff to enable them to contribute to the effective delivery of the child or young person’s ongoing care.
• Therapist may work directly with a child in a 1:1 or group setting, or work indirectly through a parent, carer or other professional.
• Contribute to Special Educational Needs and continuing care assessments processes if required. 
• Physiotherapists may work with other health care professionals such as Occupational Therapists to achieve these outcomes. Self-management and independence are an important aspect of the service.
• Work in partnership with a range of other agencies including Education and Early Years Services, Social Services and the Voluntary Sector as well as health care professionals such as Occupational Therapists. 

Support in getting the right specialist equipment, aids and adaptations 

Some children and young people (CYP) need equipment to support them to manage a long-term condition or disability. For example, a school or setting must provide this if needed for someone to take part in their education and they may require similar equipment for use at home. 

Assessment for this equipment is usually carried out by a Paediatric physiotherapist or Paediatric occupational therapist.

• They will assess equipment from a number of companies to ensure that the equipment being suggested is the most appropriate to the child or young person needs for now and the future.
• If the equipment is for a school / college setting, they will write a report to explain why the child or young person needs it and the benefit it offers.
• If the equipment is for a home setting, they will assist in obtaining the equipment through the correct service providers.
• The equipment is to be returned if the person does not need it anymore or the person moves out of Wolverhampton.

Therapists will make detailed assessment of your need and apply for funding from the correct provider. If an item is required and there is no funding available, your therapist will discuss with you further options that may be available.

How to access the service

Referrals are made by health professionals including GP, Health Visitor, Consultant and Nurse who can identify specific functional needs for Physiotherapy intervention.

How to give a compliment or compliant about the service

Contact The Gem Centre directly to access the most appropriate person or The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust service feedback can be provided by visiting Patient experience team.

Contact

• rwh-tr.childrenstherapyservices@nhs.net
• 01902 446290
• 01902 446302
• Physiotherapy Service, The Gem Centre, Neachells Lane, Wednesfield, Wolverhampton, West Midlands, WV11 3PG
• Website

The service is available to children and young people (CYP) who have conditions which impact on their functional abilities. The service is for 0-18 years or 0-19 with an active Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), who either have a home address, school or GP within the Wolverhampton area. 

Occupational Therapist work with children who have physical conditions resulting from issues with their brain, development and / or muscles and who may also have complex long-term medical, social and learning needs. 

They are flexible about where therapy sessions take place in order to best meet your needs and to use their resources wisely. The Gem Centre is fully accessible, and they offer appointments at other venues, including your school or home. Members of their team, work in special schools on a regular basis. Appointments may be face to face, or in some circumstances may be by phone or videocall.

Support

• Specialist assessment and intervention to maximise functional ability within everyday activities of daily living (occupations) at home, in education and in the community.
• Occupational Therapy intervention may also include assessing for aids and minor adaptations, or specialist equipment such as seating. The team can identify the best combination of activities and equipment for your child. 
• Development of an individual programme to meet specific needs involving either 1:1 therapy or specialist group work.
• Support children and young people to develop their independence with activities such as bathing; toileting; eating and drinking; washing and dressing.
• Support difficulties with areas of development such as gross and fine motor skills, attention and concentration; hand eye coordination and visual perception.
• Fine motor skills assessment and advice to support everyday activities including dressing and using cutlery.
• Education and advice around exercises and positioning, including training other people who help you such as your family members, your respite carer and your teachers to do your exercises and positioning with you if agreed.
• Contribution to your Education Healthcare Plans, supporting you at Team Around the Child (TAC) and other meetings and reports. A Therapist may act as your Keyworker. Occupational Therapists will share their findings with members of the wider team if you and your parents / carers give permission
• Signposting you and your family / carers to helpful activities and to other organisations, including referral to Mobility Services or Orthotics if needed.
• Occupational therapists work closely with many other professionals including physiotherapists, speech and language therapists and education staff including Outreach service to achieve desired outcomes. 

Support in getting the right specialist equipment, aids and adaptations

Occupational Therapy intervention may also include assessing for aids and minor adaptations, or specialist equipment such as seating. The team can identify the best combination of activities and equipment for your child. Occupational therapists work closely with many other professionals including physiotherapists, speech and language therapists and education staff to achieve desired outcomes.

How to access the service

Referrals are made by health professionals which includes GPs, Health Visitor, Consultant and Nurses as well as Outreach services who will have identified that the child or young person has progressed through the graduated offer of services.

How to give a compliment or compliant about the service

Contact The Gem Centre directly to access the most appropriate person or The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust service feedback can be provided by visiting Patient experience team.

Contact

• rwh-tr.childrenstherapyservices@nhs.net
• 01902 446290
• 01902 446302
• Physiotherapy Service, The Gem Centre, Neachells Lane, Wednesfield, Wolverhampton, West Midlands, WV11 3PG

Orthotics may recommend either splints, braces, specialist footwear or insoles to enhance your child’s development and functional abilities. These are some of the specialist equipment offered by the service - 

• Shoes and insoles
• Calipers and splints
• Knee braces
• Back supports
• Wrist braces
• Support hosiery
• Collars
• Hip supports
• Shoulder supports
• Ankle supports

A patient information leaflet (PIL) about purchasing footwear to accommodate splints is available via the orthotics department and each patient will be given advice about appropriate footwear during their appointment. 

How to access the service

Your child’s GP, specialist doctor or physiotherapist can make a referral for assessment and will discuss with you the appropriate service.

How to give a compliment or compliant about the service

The orthotics department takes part in the ‘Friends and Family Test’, feedback forms are available in the reception area for you to provide feedback. Or you can provide feedback about the service by visiting Patient experience team.

Contact

• Telephone: 01902 694082
• Orthotics Department, A28 New Cross Hospital, Wednesfield Road, Wolverhampton, WV10 0QP 

The Continence Care Service- 5 years and above

The continence care team provides support services for children and young people with day and/or night-time, bladder and bowel continence problems. Supporting children with and without additional needs.

The Community Children’s Nursing service offers support and assessment for those children aged 5 and over for continence product assessment and provision. 

The Community Paediatricians and the Continence Clinical Nurse Specialist offer support and advice for continence issues.

Any Continence issues under 5 years old, are recommended that you speak to your Health Visitor about this.

For further information and resources on helping you and your child who has continence issues, please access the ERIC website.

Support

• The service offers product assessment and provision as appropriate, following national guidance on clinical provision and assessment of individual needs. They also signpost for further support.
• Initial assessments may be performed via a telephone consultation or a face-to-face appointment dependent upon the clinical need. If the assessment indicates that there is a clinical requirement for a face-to-face appointment, then this will be arranged to take place either at Lower Green Health Centre or at home. The Continence Care Service perform assessments in the environment that has the most potential for a successful outcome. 
• They manage a home delivery service for the provision of containment aids, in collaboration with the adult team, to clients who have been assessed and require ongoing management as part of their care. The service can only prescribe containment products (pads) that are provided by the appointed supplier that has been awarded the contract via the tendering process. All prescriptions provided are determined by evidence based clinical need.
• The Community Children’s nurses are based at Green Park school and Penn Hall school where support for continence issues would be dealt with. If other schools want to raise continence issues regarding certain pupils, then they can raise this directly with the parents who will need to speak to their GP/Paediatrician about their concerns. 

How to access the service

For children and families who want to access the services, please speak to your Paediatric Community Consultant or your GP. Referrals are usually received from the child’s GP.

How to give a compliment or compliant about the service

Contact The Gem Centre directly to access the most appropriate person. 

The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust service feedback can be provided by visiting Patient experience team.

Contact

• E-mail: rwh-tr.continence-team@nhs.net
• Telephone: 01902 444503
• Children’s Community Nursing Service, The Gem Centre, Neachells Lane, Wednesfield, Wolverhampton, WV11 3PG

Provide specialist support for people with learning disabilities to access mainstream services by supporting reasonable adjustment, or providing specialist services which are not provided by mainstream services.

Support

• Psychiatry support for those who are unable to access mainstream mental health services and need support with mental health conditions.
• Psychology through 1:1 support or as a group to promote mental wellbeing with understanding feelings, behaviours such as anger or anxiety. 
• Community Learning Disabilities nurses provide reasonable adjustment to access mainstream services, reasonable adjustment for health care needs, memory screening programme, easy read information about health conditions/ procedures. 
• Behaviour Support nurses provide specialist advice and assessment for people who experience behavioural distress which impacts on their quality of life.
• Nurses work with mainstream services to promote access for people with learning disabilities. 
• Occupational Therapist help with adaptations and equipment, by completing sensory processing assessments and advising about recommendations. 
• Speech and language Therapist for Dysphagia (swallowing problems), provide assessments for swallowing and communication, followed by recommendations. 
• Physiotherapists help people experiencing falls. Support with mobility, walking aids and assessment for sleep systems. Also, able help with breathing problems. 

How to access the service

Anyone can refer to the team.

How to give a compliment or compliant about the service

Call 0800 587 7720 or email sed.bchft@nhs.net (Monday-Friday).

Contact

• 01902 444447
• bchft.ldsporwolverhampton@nhs.net
• 44 Pond Lane, Wolverhampton, WV2 1HG