GPs, Dentists and Opticians
SCOPE OF THIS CHAPTER
This procedure applies to all children in care.
RELEVANT PROCEDURE
See Health Care Assessments and Health Action Plans Procedure for required frequency of health checks.
Contents
- Notifications and Registrations with GP's, Dentists and Opticians
- Appointments with GP's, Dentists and Opticians
- Frequency of Checks by Dentists and Opticians
1. Notifications and Registration with GPs, Dentists and Opticians
As soon as a child is placed in care, the child's social worker will notify the child's GP and the Designated Nurse for Children Looked After, and arrange for the child's Health Care Assessment - see Health Care Assessments and Health Action Plans Procedure.
The social worker must ensure that the child is registered with a GP, Optician and Dentist, preferably retaining registration with a practitioner known to the child. The social worker should liaise with the provider/carer to make these arrangements. For children who are unable to be registered with a dentist, arrangements must be made via the Designated Nurse for Children Looked After for the child to have access to the Community Dental Service.
Details of the registration or any changes must be recorded, by the social worker, in the Essential Information Record.
The child's GP should be recorded on the child's electronic record.
2. Appointments with GPs, Dentists, Opticians
If children appear to require or request it, appointments should be made for them to see their GP or other medical practitioners as appropriate.
When appointments are made, account should be taken of the child's wishes, for example, to see a practitioner of a preferred gender. Also, appointments should preferably be made which do not disrupt the child's education.
Parents and the child's social worker should, if possible, be consulted before making appointments; and they should be informed of the outcome.
As appropriate, the Essential Information Record should be updated to take account of these appointments.
For children placed in foster care and residential care, these details must also be recorded in the relevant child's Daily Record.
Dates of medical assessments, including dental checks, should be recorded on Care Director.
3. Frequency of Checks by Dentists and Opticians
Children in care should have dental checks every 6 months or as directed by the dentist but no less than annually.
They should also have checks by an optician at a minimum every 6 months, unless the child wears glasses, in which case the checks should be as required by the optician.
Appointments should be made with the GP as required. See also Health Care Assessments and Health Action Plans Procedure for required frequency of health checks.