[senco-forum] APD testing

Just a warning to all- GPs cannot usually refer directly to Great Ormond

Clare is correct about PCT (Primary Care Trust) referral arrangements
and the difficulty obtaining an appropriate referral. However I
believe this varies from trust to trust. Also where a recognised
specialist in a particular condition is not available locally one may
be able to obtain a referral to a specialist outside one's local area.

Incidentally, referrals are usually made to a named consultant (who
might be based at Great Ormond Street) or to a clinic at a named
hospital that specialises in a particular condition (for example the
Tourette Syndrome clinic at Great Ormond Street) maned by a team of
specialist doctors.

David Bowles

> Just a warning to all- GPs cannot usually refer directly to Great Ormond
> Street (according to my GP husband).  All PCTs have pre-arranged
> contracts with local providers and are not easily able to refer people
> to places that aren't on their list. Great Ormond Street can apparently
> only be accessed through consultants at your local hospital so your GP
> would have to refer to the local paediatrician / ENT consultant who
> would then see the patient and refer on to GOSH if he/she felt that they
> were unable to offer the service themselves. It would probably be useful
> to find out whether Dr Sirimanna accepts referrals through
> paediatricians or through ENT consultants (or both) - just to ensure
> that the person gets referred to the right specialty in the first place.
> We were lucky in having a local consultant paediatrician as the school
> doctor for the children in the SLU so you might consider a referral
> through the community paediatrician if you have easy access (for
> example, if your child is already in a special unit or school). 

> Clare

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> -----Original Message-----
> From: senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk
> [mailto:senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk] On Behalf Of Amanda
> Sent: 02 July 2006 10:23
> To: Olanys at aol.com; senco-forum at lists.becta.org.uk
> Subject: Re: [senco-forum] APD testing

> Hi Aly
>    
>   Does this mean that any GP anywhere in England can refer to GOSH?
>    
>   Amanda

> Olanys at aol.com wrote:
>   Hi Mary,

> This post referred to APD testing at Great Ormond Street Hospital -GOSH-
> only

> "Do you mean referrals for possible APD?"

> Yes.

> " Who makes the referral - a GP?"
> Yes -to Dr Tony Sirimanna at Great Ormond Street Hospital -GOSH.

> "And who does the testing? NHS audiologists? "

> Yes- ones who have been trained in using the new tests.

> "Does that mean, as implied, that all are now trained and qualified to
> do 
> this?"

> No, not all, but the ones at GOSH have been .

> As I said in a previous post, we will be compiling a list of all
> appropriate 
> professionals and other test centres as soon as we can collate them. 

> My point was that nobody will be refused testing there and the waiting
> list 
> is only 13 weeks so previous posts of people being told "there is no
> chance 
> of being assessed yet as there are too many requests" is a little over
> exaggerated; all they have to do is ask to be put on the waiting list.

> Best wishes,
> Aly

> Chair Auditory Processing Disorder in the UK/APDUK
> www.lacewingmultimedia.com/APD.htm 
> www.apduk.org

> Amanda
> Secondary SENCO
> Cornwall

David Bowles