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Moving through Health Services

Moving from child to adult services is a big step and there are many things to consider. There will be people there to support you during this transition but it is important that you understand the process too.

Things to consider when you are moving from child to adult health services:

• Being treated as an adult and the oldest ‘patient’ in children’s service compared with being treated as a child and the youngest ‘patient’ in adult services
• Being relatively ‘one of many’ with the condition in children’s services to being ‘one of very few’ with the condition in adult services
• For those young people with sensory and learning impairments - being a ‘child’ in a child’s body in children’s services compared with being a ‘child’ in an adult’s body in adult services

Understanding the role of the GP

• A General Practitioner (GP) is your family doctor and is the main point of contact for general healthcare and information from other health services including transition information from one health service to the next.
• All UK residents are entitled to the services of a GP.
• The borough in which you are registered with your GP is the borough that funds your health services e.g. specialist services, therapy services (OT, Speech and Language and Physio) Child and Adolescence Mental Health Services, etc.
• Cross borough issues occur when a family lives in Borough A but has a GP in Borough B.

The Health Transition Pathway

Health services have a clear transition pathway from children to adult services. 

• Health transition starts at age 14 for children with a Learning Disability diagnosis.
• Other health transition starts at age 17.5
• Completing the Health Passport addresses children and young people with (CYP) complex health issues and support children and young people to achieve their ongoing wishes and hopes for their future as young adults.
• Co-Ordinate My Care, an online emergency care plan accessible to 111& 999 emergency services, A&E departments and other health services.
• Health Services are making reasonable adjustment for children and young people with special education needs and disability.
• National employment of Learning Disability Nurses.
• National roll out of ASD and LD training for health services.

See the transitions guide (.pdf)