Helping GP surgeries to be more welcoming to disabled children
Contact a Family (UK) has published two new guides for GPs (general practitioners) to help increase their understanding of the specialist services that disabled children access and to make their practices more welcoming for them.
Making GP Practices More Welcoming for Families with Disabled Children explores the potential consequences if children are seen in A&E rather than by their GP and explains why families of disabled children can find it difficult to visit a surgery. It also offers practical steps that practices can take to make it easier for disabled children to visit their GP such as:
- Offering carers appointment times at the start of clinics when there is likely to be less of a wait
- Offering children with sensory overload the option of waiting in a quiet room if one is available or waiting in their car and being called on their mobile when the doctor is nearly ready to see them.
- Letting families see the same GP for most visits, so the GP becomes familiar with the child's support needs
GP practice guide: supporting disabled children and young people aims to help GPs co-ordinate care for disabled children. It describes the roles of the wide range of health professionals who work with disabled children and the specialised services they access, some of the issues disabled children frequently present with, who can support them and patient information that GPs can provide to families.
Both guides can be downloaded from Contact a Family's website
Alternatively for a hardcopy email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
