ChatHealth – Text messaging service

There is a secure text messaging service for parents and carers of children and young people (0-19 years). The service helps parents and carers get quick and trusted health advice from a health visitor or school nurse.

The ChatHealth text number operates Monday-Friday from 9am until 5pm.

Messages will be responded to within 24 hours during this period. Outside these hours, service users will receive a ‘bounce back’ text message indicating that they will receive a response when the line re-opens.

This is not an emergency service. You should follow usual advice in seeking urgent medical attention.

The numbers are:

• 0 - 5 Parents Service – 07507 327981
• 5 - 19 Parents Service – 07480 635994
• 11 - 19 Young People's Service – 07507 330101

Learning disability register

If your child has a learning disability they can get extra support when visiting your doctor. All you have to do is add your child’s name to the learning disability register. The register then alerts the doctor to put in place the appropriate support. This might mean:

• Extra help to make an appointment
• Longer appointments, quieter waiting rooms, appointments at certain times of the day
• Information in accessible format
• Support to successfully access health interventions such as immunisations, screening, blood tests, etc.

From the age of 14 years a person with a learning disability will also receive an annual health check.

Please contact your doctor for more information about how to join.

Annual health checks

To have an Annual Health Check your child must:

• Have joined the learning disability register
• Be over 14 years old

The doctor will take a closer look at how your child is doing and make sure that they are healthy.

Your child does not need to be ill to get a health check, but you can ask your doctor about anything that is worrying you. It is a good way to get to know your doctor better, and for them to find out more about your child as they grow up.

For more information about what happens at an annual health check, why it is important and what support you can get visit the Mencap website and watch the video.

Personal health budget

A personal health budget is an amount of money given to a parent/carer or young person to support their child’s or own healthcare needs.

It is money that would normally have been spent by the NHS to support your child’s identified healthcare on treatment, equipment and personal care, in a way that suits you.

You may be able to get a personal health budget if:

• You are an adult receiving NHS continuing healthcare (NHS-funded long-term health and personal care provided outside hospital).
• You are a child receiving NHS continuing healthcare (NHS-funded long-term health and personal care provided outside hospital).
• You meet the eligibility criteria for Warrington’s Wheelchair Service and you need a new wheelchair or specialist buggy, either because of a change in need or because of the condition of the current chair. These people will be eligible for a personal wheelchair budget.
• People with mental health problems who are eligible for section 117 after-care as a result of being detained under certain sections of the Mental Health Act (this does not include detention under section 2 of the Act).

If you are able to have a personal health budget, then together with your NHS team you will develop a personalised care and support plan. The plan sets out your or your child’s personal health and wellbeing needs, the health outcomes to be achieved, the amount of money in the budget and how you are going to spend it.

For more information contact Warrington’s Personal Health Budget Team on 01925 843697.

Dynamic support register

It is important that local services understand the needs of people with a learning disability and/or autism, so that they can be proactive in making sure they receive the right support at the right time.

There are a small team of dynamic support keyworkers with specialist knowledge and skills in working with people who have a Learning Disability and/or Autism. By working together in partnership with the other agencies supporting families, Dynamic support helps services to work more closely together to manage a person’s support effectively and ensure good outcomes in the community.

Initially keyworker support will be provided to children and young people with a learning disability and/or autism, who are registered on the dynamic support register and who are inpatients or are at risk of being admitted to a mental health hospital.

The keyworkers will work closely with the family and alongside other agencies involved to try and prevent this happening or will remain involved to try to make the hospital stay as short as possible and to facilitate a smooth discharge with the right support available in the community.

The NHS has a PDF for families explaining the Dynamic Support Keyworker Function.

More information from NHS England.

Care education and treatment reviews

A Care, Education and Treatment Review (CETR) is a meeting about a child or young person who has a learning disability and/or autism and who is either at-risk of being admitted to, or is currently detained in, an in-patient (psychiatric) service.

The aim of a CETR is to avoid admission wherever possible, or to plan discharge. The review will look at 4 areas:

1. is the person safe?
2. are they getting good care now?
3. what are their care plans for the future?
4. can care and treatment be provided in the community?

A CETR will be chaired by the commissioner (the authority paying for the current services) and should include the person, their family, the multi-disciplinary team (MDT) involved in their care, and two independent experts – one expert-by-experience (a family carer or a person with a learning disability), and one clinical expert.

Further information can be found at NHS England:

NHS England - Care, Education and Treatment Reviews (CETRs)

Child development centre

Warrington’s Child Development Centre is based at Sandy Lane, alongside the children’s centre.

Referrals to the Child Development Centre are usually made by health professionals.  On referral many of the initial appointments are with the Specialist Learning Disability Nurse who will visit the family in the home to explain the role of the CDC.    This will be followed by an assessment with the Community Paediatrician and possibly the Health Visitor.  The Paediatrician will work with parents to carry out an assessment of the child’s development and areas of need. Assessments may also be carried out by other members of the team such as Physiotherapists, Audiologists or Speech and Language Therapists.   After the assessment process is complete the team will discuss with parents any diagnosis that is appropriate, any further actions or therapy required and will create a support plan for the family.

For further information please telephone 01925 946480.

Urgent and emergency care

Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Trust (whh.nhs.uk)

Urgent and Emergency Care services perform a critical role in keeping Warrington residents healthy.

Emergency care - Dial 999

Emergency care involves life-threatening illnesses or accidents which require immediate treatment from the ambulance service (via calling 999) and an emergency department (A&E).

An ambulance will take you to Warrington Hospital A&E Department with capacity to deal with your child’s immediate needs.

Urgent Care - Dial 111

Get help for your symptoms - NHS 111

NHS 111 is there to make it easier and quicker for patients to get the right advice or treatment for their child’s physical or mental health needs.

In many cases NHS 111 clinicians and call advisors can give patients the advice they need without using another service, such as their GP or A&E.

NHS 111 is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can access this service by calling 111, or going to NHS 111 online.

A-Z of health services in Warrington