Community paediatrics is one of 17 paediatric subspecialties providing secondary paediatric care, predominately in out of hospital settings where children are usually seen in their communities, in venues closer to home.
Community paediatricians have broad paediatric and child health skills, with specialist skills in the care of vulnerable children, children with long term conditions, including those with neuro-developmental disorders and disabilities, and child public health.
Community paediatrics is a specialist area, working with children with complex needs rather than acutely unwell children with common paediatric illnesses.
A community paediatric assessment provides an holistic assessment, across all concerns, considering the impact of the child’s difficulties both at home for the family, and in education and their wider social world. The service provides assessment, diagnosis, management and in some cases long term oversight of the most complex children. The aim is to identify difficulties early, treat effectively and monitor carefully to prevent any secondary morbidity. This is done through outpatient clinic consultations and through liaison and working with colleagues both in health and wider partners in education and social care. Multiagency working is key to success for children with complex needs, and locality working enables links with partners in education and social care and participation in MDT meetings.
Children who have been acutely unwell children or present with common paediatric symptoms or illnesses and require secondary paediatric care are seen in the general paediatric clinics.
Information for young people, parents, and carers
We have changed the way we provide you/your child’s care as an outpatient.
Instead of having regular, routine appointments according to a timetable, we’ll support you/your child to manage your/your child’s own care and to contact us only if you have worries or concerns. This leaflet explains how you/your child can access support and advice. If you have any concerns or questions that are not answered in this leaflet, please speak to your healthcare professional.
How does my Patient Initiated Follow Up (PIFU) work?
You have been advised by the Paediatric team that your/your child’s condition is now suitable to have follow-ups as patient-initiated, instead of the regular appointments scheduled by the hospital. You/your child will have ‘open access’ to the clinic for the time specified by your healthcare professional. What this means for you is that if you/your child have on-going concerns related to the original appointment during this time you can contact us, and we will offer you a further appointment if appropriate.
Why am I being offered Patient Initiated Follow Up (PIFU)?
The reason we offer follow-up this way is because we want to give you/your child more choice and flexibility and reduce unwanted and unnecessary visits to the hospital. This will help improve patient experience, reduce cost of travel and parking, and reduce waiting times for appointments.
When can I book an appointment?
You/your child can make a follow up appointment if:
• you/your child have on-going concerns about the condition
• if you/your child’s condition changes significantly beyond that expected; or
• if you/your child require further information or clinical input that cannot be met by support organisations or your GP or local services.
How can I book an appointment?
You can telephone the appropriate appointments team as indicated on your clinical letter. Appointments may be virtual via telephone or face to face if we need to physically examine you/your child. We will send you a confirmation of your appointment.
When is a PIFU appointment not appropriate?
PIFU is not appropriate for conditions or symptoms unrelated to the condition you/your child were seen for originally. For these you will need to contact your GP or NHS111 for advice. If you/your child require urgent medical attention, you should contact your GP, NHS 111 or attend A&E if you are very unwell.
Frequently asked questions
Q. How long will I have to wait for an appointment?
A. You will be given an appointment in the next available slot following review by the healthcare professional.
Q. Could I get lost in the system?
A. No. You will be clearly recorded as being on Patient Initiated Follow Up pathway on our internal systems. If you do not need to see the clinician at all within the PIFU period after your last appointment you will be discharged back to your GP who will refer you back to us if you need hospital care again in the future.
Q. Why have you set an end date for me to make an appointment?
A. Your clinician will decide how long you need to be on the PIFU pathway. It will depend on your condition and their clinical judgement of how long you will need before you can be discharged back to your GP. Our aim is to discharge you once you are well enough.
Community Paediatric Outpatient clinics are held at Pendleton Gateway, Swinton Gateway, Walkden Gateway, Eccles Gateway and Irlam Medical Centre.
These clinics are for the assessment and management of children with:
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Long term conditions such as epilepsy or genetic conditions such as Downs Syndrome
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Neuro-developmental disorders - such as developmental delay, language disorders, Developmental Co-ordination Disorder, Autism,
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Associated developmental behavioural difficulties e.g. with sleep, eating and continence
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Social, emotional and mental health difficulties presenting with challenging behaviours where our role is to determine any underlying conditions that are causing children to behave in certain ways e.g. ACEs, ADHD or attachment difficulties
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Hearing Impairment for aetiological assessment and other audio-vestibular problems such as tinnitus.
Additional Specialist Clinics are held at Pendleton Gateway for children:
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With Complex physical needs – these clinics are held jointly with paediatric therapists.
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With Special educational needs and disability (SEND) where medical advice has been requested for an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)
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Who are vulnerable - including safeguarding assessments where there is a child protection concern, clinics to assess the health of children who are looked after or in the process of being adopted.
Clinics for Children with Long term Conditions are held at Pendleton Gateway, these are part of our services for children with:
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Asthma
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Epilepsy
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Diabetes
General Medical Paediatric Outpatient clinics are held at Pendleton Gateway, Walkden Gateway and Eccles Gateway. These are for children:
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With non- urgent acute paediatric conditions. e.g. cough, abdominal pain, reflux, failure to thrive, milk allergy, headaches, migraines, recurrent UTI, bowel problems, fits, faints and funny turns not likely to be epilepsy, delayed or precocious puberty, short or tall stature, iron deficiency etc.
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Who require follow up following an acute illness / presentation at the Panda unit
The clinics are held in child friendly environments. There are a small number of toys available in the waiting area but you may wish to bring an activity to keep your child occupied whilst they are waiting for the appointment. All children are weighed and measured before they see the doctor or specialist nurse.
Please bring any medication that your child is taking to the appointment.
If you wish to discuss anything with the doctor on your own rather than with your child, please speak with the Health Care Assistant when your child is being measured so that the appropriate arrangements can be made.
Older children will also be offered the opportunity to speak with the doctors on their own.
- Pendleton Gateway
1 Broadwalk
Salford
Greater Manchester
M6 5FX
- Swinton Gateway
100 Chorley Road
Swinton
M27 6BP
- Walkden Gateway
2 Smith Street
Walkden
Salford
M28 3EZ
- Eccles Gateway
28 Barton Lane
Eccles
Salford
M30 0TU
- Irlam Medical Centre
Macdonald Road
Irlam
Manchester
Greater Manchester
M44 5LH
Referrals into the service are accepted from other professionals including from health, education and social care.
GP referrals are made through the NHS e referral service, more specific referral guidance is also available on this site.