How to make a referral

The Paediatric Physiotherapy Service will see children who have physical difficulties with gross motor skills who also fall into one of the following categories:

Children aged between 0-16 years who have a Solihull GP

Children up to 19 years of age if they are in full-time education within a Solihull Special School

Children aged between 4-16 years who attend a Solihull school and where input is school-based. (Please note if you have a Solihull GP but your child is at school in Birmingham, your child will be seen by Birmingham physiotherapy services)

The Paediatric Physiotherapy Service also accept children aged between 0-6 years who have a Solihull GP and have a musculoskeletal condition such as torticollis, Erb’s palsy, Perthes disease, gait abnormalities and pain (please note this is not an exhaustive list)

Referrals can be made by the child’s GP, consultant or relevant Allied Health Professional involved in the child’s care.

Cross Border Referrals

The Paediatric Physiotherapy Service adheres to the cross border principals set out by Birmingham and Solihull Clinical Commissioning Group.  These principals are in place to support children and families who cross the borders between Birmingham and Solihull Services.  For example a child lives and attends schools in different areas or a child moves between the Solihull and Birmingham borders.  This means a child will be seen by the correct service at the correct time.  Therefore if referring a child across borders please highlight this on the referral or discuss this with the service when making a referral.  These principals are:

1. The health care should be right for each individual child and family.
2. Children should get their health care in the place where it can make the most difference and works best for the child and the family.
3. Health workers should talk and share information with each other. They should trust each other.
4. When a health service sees a child at home or a clinic, they should tell the school and the parents.
5. All the different people who work with a child should be involved when big decisions are made
6. If someone is giving advice to a child in one place, this should also be used for other children with similar needs. This makes school a supportive place.
7. If the school has a few children with complicated health needs the health team at the school is best placed to support these needs.
8. The child should not be moved from one health service to another, unless it is best for the child. The child should stay at their original service until there is a space for them to be treated by the other service.
9. The child should get the same support from any of the health services across Birmingham and Solihull and not have to wait too long to get it.