New healthcare passport launched at NHS trust
A new healthcare passport has been launched at an NHS trust to enhance the care of children and young people with complex needs living within a city.
The healthcare passport ‘All About Me’, which has launched at The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, has been trialled by several families over the last few years.
It has finally been published for those who access children’s services at RWT to take away their anxiety around being nervous 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.
Dr Cathy Higgins, consultant community paediatrician, said the healthcare passport is “very much needed” and will significantly help both the service, and service users.
Cathy said: “This passport will be a huge benefit to our patients to ensure healthcare professionals know the best way to communicate with them, understand their likes and dislikes and make accessing healthcare as stress free as possible.
“Another positive is that it will help when children are transitioning to adult services and supports the ‘tell us once’ approach so families do not have to repeat information to healthcare professionals over and over again.”
Voice4Parents has played a huge part in the development of All About Me as the group aims to make sure services in Wolverhampton meet the needs of children and young people with special needs as well as their families.
Voice4Parents chaired monthly meetings with steering group members and then would regularly engage with parents and carers across the city.
This enabled the service to shape the passport to make it fit for purpose and to ensure it makes a positive impact on children and young people with complex needs.
Sarah Baker, chair for Voice4Parents said: “I have been part of the Voice4Parents steering group voluntarily for nine years and it is a very much-loved passion of mine. I would like to thank all the participants that have helped shape the All About Me healthcare passport.
“I think children and young people with complex needs will see a huge benefit and we welcome any feedback from the launch.”
In January 2019, there were 46,039 children and young people attending state schools in Wolverhampton, of these 7,834 were identified as having special educational needs and disabilities.
Families using RWT services can ask their paediatrician or children’s nurse for a copy of All About Me.
