Health Services in Leeds

Every family across Leeds, starting at pregnancy and continuing through to school leavers, receives the offer of support from the 0-19 Public Health Integrated Nursing Service.

0-19 Public Health Integrated Nursing Service (0-19 PHINS) was formerly known as Health Visiting and School Nursing, these teams have come together along with the Infant Mental Health Team, School Immunisations Team, and Oral Health to form the 0-19 PHINS.

We are here to offer you support and information to help you and your family stay as healthy as possible. Our offer is following the Healthy Child Programme.

Antenatal Visit from 28 weeks onwards

A 0-19 Specialist Public Health Nurse who specialises in Health Visiting may visit you at your home or offer a virtual contact.  We’ll discuss the support we can offer and see if there is anything we can help you with before your baby arrives. You’ll be sent a personal child health record (PCHR) and some information containing public health messages. This is known as the ‘red book ‘. We’ll use this to record your child’s weight and height, vaccinations, and other important information.

When baby arrives (10-14 days following delivery)

We will visit you at your home to learn more about your experiences and share information around feeding, safe sleeping and caring for your baby. We’ll review your baby’s development and discuss how you’re feeling and any extra help you may need.

6–8-week visit

Your 0-19 Specialist Public Health Nurse will visit you at home between 6 to 12 weeks to discuss your baby’s development and wellbeing. We will listen to how you are all feeling physically and emotionally since the birth of your baby and share information about topics such as feeding, immunisations and settling your baby.

Aged 8-12 months and 2-2½ years

We offer developmental reviews for your baby/child at both these ages. They usually take place in your home or a Children's centre with a 0-19 Family Health Worker.

We will talk to you about how your baby/child is growing and developing. you may be sent through a questionnaire (ASQ) to complete before the visit. We’ll share information about oral health, healthy eating, vision, hearing, language development and keeping your child safe. At the 2-2½ year development review we’ll also discuss good sleeping habits, toilet training, speech and communicating with others.

Aged 4-5 years

A 0-19 Healthcare Support Worker will undertake your child’s height and weight in line with the National Child Measurement Programme. We will also undertake vision screening. Usually this will take place in your child’s school when they are in Reception and you will receive a letter about it.

In the year prior to your child starting primary school you can complete the online Set for School questionnaire Home Page (setforschool.co.uk) to tell us about our child. It will ask questions about your child’s health to see if there is any support you or your child may need.

Aged 10-11 years

For children in year 6, a 0-19 Healthcare Support Worker will undertake your child’s height and weight in line with the National Child Measurement Programme. This will take place in your child’s school and you will receive information about it.

Pre school  

Further support is also on hand for families when they need it. This will be offered through a variety of methods such as by telephone call, baby hubs, and home or clinic based appointments.

School age

0-19 Specialist Public Health Nurses who specialise in school nursing may offer help to young people throughout their school life to reach their full potential. We offer night time wetting, toileting and continence support.

We can also provide support and guidance for children and young people who are identified as young carers.

We also work together with local health and social care services to support families who have additional needs. Some examples include if your child has a special education need or disability (SEND), a medical condition or there may be concerns about the safety of your child. We will work to make sure your child is safe and get the services and care they need.

Parenting Programme

Preparation for birth and Beyond (PBB)is offered to all families expecting their first child. 

Healthy Eating and Nutrition for the Really Young (HENRY) programme. This is for parents or carers of children aged 0-5 years. Free to join and run locally in Children’s Centres or via virtual methods. It covers parenting confidence, physical activity for little ones, what children and families eat, family lifestyle habits and enjoying life as a family. 

Chat Health

A child or young person aged between 11 to 19 years old can text a 0-19 Specialist Public Health Nurse using Chat Health (a confidential text messaging service) on 07520 619 750.

They will receive real-time advice between (8.30am-4.30pm, Mon-Fri) on all kinds of health issues such as sexual health, emotional health and wellbeing, bullying, healthy eating and general health concerns.

Levels of Intervention

Following the healthy child programme all families receive the universal offer from the 0-19 PHINS.

Depending on the support a child, young person or family requires this may change to Targeted or Specialist Support. This is in line with our 0-19 PHINS pathways of which responsive parenting, parental maternal mood (child under 12months) and eating and drinking are examples.

Our Specialist Public Health Nurses will use a needs-based assessment to determine targeted interventions which can be met within the 0-19 PHIN services or the need for more specialist interventions that require referrals or clear signposting.

Whilst receiving any specialist support 0-19 PHINS will still provide the universal offer and work in partnership with other agencies. The level of support may change over time and circumstances due to individual needs and circumstances.

Universal level of Intervention

Every Family gets the Universal Healthy Child Programme offer – 5 core contacts plus the National Childhood Measurement Programme and Vision screening.

Every Child has a named 0-7 Specialist Public Health Nurse until they receive the National Child Measurement Programme in Reception.

Targeted Level of Intervention

Packages of care which are short term are offered following an identified need in line with one of our 0-19 PHINS pathways. These packages of care may be delivered by a range of 0-19 PHINS Practitioners.

Specialist Level of Intervention

All families where a child or young person has diagnosed complex needs or is awaiting a complex needs diagnosis will be on our targeted pathways.

All families with safeguarding concerns will have a named Specialist Public Health Nurse who specialise in 0-7 or 7-19 years.

This ensures where needed we can provide targeted support.

Members of our 0-19 PHINS Team

• 0-19 Specialist Public Health Nurse (0-7 yrs.) – you may know them as Health Visitors
• 0-19 Specialist Public Health Nurses (7-19 yrs.) – you may know them as School Nurses
• 0-19 Staff Nurse
• 0-19 Family Health Worker
• 0-19 Healthcare Support Worker

Ways to get in touch with 0-19 PHINS

Please speak to a member of the 0-19 Public Health Integrated Nursing Service if you or your family would like additional support.

You can contact us via our Single Point of Access (SPA) on 0113 843 5683.

Professionals who wish to refer into 0-19 PHINS or would like to obtain advice please call our Single Point of Access professionals line 01138434527

Further information about our service can be found on our website.

You can also access our social media for evidence-based health information:

• Facebook
• Instagram

We offer rehabilitation for adults with neurological conditions. This includes advice, therapy and treatment for a patient and advice and support for their family, carers and other professionals.

The objectives of the service are to:

• To provide specialist rehabilitation through inter-disciplinary assessment and treatment programmes.
• To reduce the impact of specific impairments or complications associated with neurological conditions
• To provide an appropriate level of support for people to gain, retain and/or regain independence and function.

Click here for more information. 

If you have a Learning Disability your GP can place you on the Learning Disability register which means you should be offered a ‘health check’ every year from the age of 14 years.

Annual health checks can help you stay well by talking to a doctor or nurse about your health and finding any problems early, so they can be sorted.

People with a learning disability often have poorer physical and mental health than other people. This does not need to be the case.

Find out more here:

• Learning Disability Services
• Learning Disability Annual Health Checks

Click here to find out more about the Learning Disability Register.

The Children’s Community Nursing Service provided by Leeds Community Healthcare Trust consists of four teams:

• Children’s Community Nursing Team
• Continuing Care and Health Short Breaks
• Inclusion Nursing
• Hannah House

Children’s Community Nursing Team

The Children’s Community Nursing Team provides a service for babies, children and young people up to their 19th birthday with a wide range of nursing need. The team provides advice and support seven days a week with a reduced service at weekends and Bank Holidays.
They provide:

• nursing care and treatment plans, support, advice, knowledge and skills to empower patients and families. This may be for wound care, pin site care, gastrostomy and naso-gastric tube insertion and weight management and central line cares and bloods.
• end of life care to enable children and their families to achieve their preferred place of death.

The team work closely with the multi-disciplinary team and external agencies, with an aim to providing holistic care for the children and their families and provide teaching to all agencies involved in a child’s care.

click here to find out more.

Continuing Care Nursing and Short Breaks Team

The Continuing Care Nursing and Short Breaks Team offers nursing and respite care (temporary, short-term breaks and support) to enable families to look after their child at home. This is for children with complex care needs and life limiting conditions.

click here to find out more. 

The Inclusion Nursing team

The Inclusion Nursing team consists of qualified nurses and health care support workers who work to promote the health and wellbeing of children and young people with complex health, additional needs, autism and Learning disability attending the Specialist Inclusion Centres.

We achieve this through working in partnership with children, young people, parents, carers, education and other professionals involved in their care.

Our key areas of focus are:

• To promote opportunities for children and young people to be involved in all aspects of school life.
• To work in partnership to support families where children are in need of protection.
• Assessment of nursing needs of children and young people, completing care plans, setting goal based outcomes.
• To provide support, advice and information on health issues to children, young people, parents, carers, education staff and other professionals.
• To provide support, advice and information on health issues to children, young people, parents, carers, education staff and other professionals.
• To provide training and mentorship to education, the voluntary sector, parents and medical and nursing students.
• To promote healthy lifestyles within the home and school environment, 1:1 or group.
• Joint attendance at specialist clinics within specialist inclusive learning centres with paediatricians, nurse led clinics, and feeding clinics.
• To deliver immunisation HPV, DPT.

click here for more information.

Hannah House

Hannah House is a purpose built self-contained residential facility providing planned or emergency short break care for children with complex health needs who meet the criteria. It is accessible to children and young people aged 5 to their 18th birthday for overnight stays and from 3 years for day respite, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Our vision is to provide a ‘home from home’ style short break offering new opportunities for the child or young person whilst supporting their parents. We provide a positive and rewarding experience for children and their families where children can be safely cared for by our skilled team and have fun during their stay.

During their stay, children can take part in a range of activities including our multi-sensory room, music therapy, arts and crafts and outings to places such as local parks, the cinema, farms.

click here to find out more about Hannah House.

The team offers nursing and respite care (temporary, short-term breaks and support) to enable families to look after their child at home.

The team is made up of nurses and carers trained to provide nursing care for children with complex healthcare needs.

The service is for children and young people aged 0 – 18 years

NB : there is some flexibility for a shadowing/transition period to adult services of up to 6 months.

If your child meets the ‘continuing care’ criteria and is eligible for respite care, we will offer your family a number of hours of care per week.

We review the care we offer to each family regularly with both professionals and carers. This is so we can provide services tailored to the needs of each child and each family.

Click here for more information.

Children’s Continuing Care Team

In Leeds we have a Children’s Continuing Care Team who provide packages of care to children or young people with multiple, complex and enduring health care needs due to disability, accident, life limiting or sudden illness.

The Children’s Continuing Care Team delivers packages of care that have been agreed by the Children’s Continuing Care Panel following an assessment by a nurse assessor within the Children’s Case Management Service of the ICB (Integrated Care Board) in Leeds.

The service is for children aged 0 up to their 18th birthday and most continuing care hours allocated will be delivered within the home environment.

The Team operates 24 hours a day 365 days a year and also provides palliative and terminal care for children at home. The Team consists of a skill mixed team of children’s and learning disability nurses and support staff.

To refer to Children’s Continuing Care a child must already be known to Health Short Breaks. A referral needs:

• Completed Referral Form
• A Nursing Assessment (there is a standard template available)
• Supportive medical and nursing evidence

Hannah House

Hannah House is a purpose built self-contained 'home from home' style facility which provides planned or emergency short break care for children with complex health needs.

They offer short break care to children up to their 18th birthday, who have complex health needs requiring a significant amount of nursing care, and who either live within the Leeds Metropolitan Boundary or are registered with a Leeds GP.

Click here to find out more about Hannah House.

Personal Health Budgets

A personal health budget (PHB) is available to children who are eligible for Children’s Continuing Care. A PHB can offer a more flexible and personalised approach to support a child’s health and wellbeing needs than traditional continuing care services.

A personal health budget is an amount of money from the NHS which is equivalent to the cost of delivering the traditional continuing care service. It can pay for services, activities or goods that help your child’s health and wellbeing. You agree on the best way to spend the money with your NHS children’s continuing care PHB coordinator.

Personal health budgets work in a similar way to personal budgets that many people are used to managing for their child’s social care support. A personal health budget can give you much more choice and control over the help and support you can access for your child, so it fits your everyday life better. It lets you think of new and different ways to be healthy and safe.

Click here to find out more about personal health budgets.

The NHS is here for you should you suddenly fall ill or get injured. To help you be seen in the right place, at the right time by the right healthcare professional, you need to use the most appropriate service.

Find out more here: choosing the right NHS service

0-19 Public Health Integrated Nursing Service (PHINS) offer both Night time wetting support and Continence assessments and product ordering.

Continence is the ability to control your bladder and bowel. Incontinence is the involuntary loss of bladder and bowel control.

0-19 PHINS provides care to families in the context of community messages, family customs, cultural beliefs, attitudes, and public health messages. Bladder and bowel habits often are avoided in general conversation. Stigma and embarrassment prevent discussion and understanding of what normal body functions is.

ERIC website and the Bladder and Bowel UK website offer a wide range of helpful advice and support to those wanting to know more.

Promotion of good eating habits, healthy activity and discussions of normal bladder and bowel habits of babies, children and young people are discussed at every contact with 0-19 PHINS. Early intervention to help babies and children develop a healthy attitude and approach to weeing and pooing is part of the 9-12 month and 27-month development contact. Early toileting from 9 months from when a child can sit supported is now thought to help with good toileting routines and the prevention of continence problems. Accessibility to a potty/toilet is essential, time given to daily routines, praise and reward in the early days and developing independence and good bladder and bowel habits. The ladder of continence is promoted as all children can develop some level of continence.

Some children require additional support if they have not become continent over the age of 5 years. 0-19 PHINS will offer both night-time wetting support and continence product support for children requiring continence products, intervening early to prevent problems developing or worsening.

Referrals for continence support to Leeds Community Healthcare (LCH) services should be made via the GP so that medical issues can be assessed prior to LCH nurses performing a clinical triage into the nurse led services. This means GPs can refer into LCH on one referral form that is then triaged to ensure it is passed to the appropriate service. 0-19 PHINS will offer night-time wetting support for any child or young person between the age of 5 years and 18 years, and ICAN offer daytime wetting support for any child who is toilet trained and between the ages of 5-16 years.

Children with Complex Needs who require continence product support are assessed from 4 years of age and if they are not able to be toilet trained, they may be provided with a suitable product supply as dictated by local and national guidance. All children receiving prescribed continence products will require 6 monthly reviews to ensure the products are suitable and that toilet training support can be provided when the child is ready. 0-19 PHNS work closely with SILC Nurses in Specialist Inclusion Learning Centres and with Children’s Specialist Nursing teams to meet the continence needs of these children and young people. All children requiring products at 19 years will be referred to the Continence, Urology and Colorectal service (CUCs) service.

Ways to get in touch with 0-19 PHINS

Please speak to a member of the 0-19 Public Health Integrated Nursing Service if you or your family would like additional support.

You can contact us via our Single Point of Access (SPA) on 0113 843 5683

Professionals who wish to refer into 0-19 PHINS or would like to obtain advice please call or Clinical Triage Team (CTT) on: 0113 8432358

Further information about the service can be found here: click here

You can also access their social media for evidence-based health information:

• Facebook
• Instagram

Children and Young people over 16

If you have been known for continence products by children’s services they will refer you to the Continence, Urology and Colorectal service (CUCs) service at 19 yrs.

The Continence, Urology and Colorectal service (CUCs) is for any person sixteen or older, with a bladder, bowel or stoma problem or who experiences incontinence.

The service provides advice and education to community nurses and other health, social or informal carer.

Many referrals come to the Continence, Urology and Colorectal Service by a general practitioner or community nurse, although patients may refer themselves to the service.

Find out more here: click here

Toilet and Potty Training

Becoming toilet trained is an important milestone for most children. However, many families have lots of questions about how to start working on the skills that their child will need to learn to use the potty. The information here will help provide you with the answers.
Children with additional needs can usually start to work on the skills for toilet or potty training at about the same chronological age as all children.

You information on toilet and potty training visit the Bladder and Bowl UK website.

Bladder & Bowel UK have also produced the following information Sheets that you may find useful:

• Potty Training Programmes
• Ready or Not: when to start toilet training
• Talk about going to the toilet
• Toilet training: a skill development programme
• Understanding getting ready - potty training

Toilet Training Children with Additional Needs

The information provided here will help you to understand the extra help and support that some children with additional needs may need to learn to use the toilet or potty. The information in the leaflets may be helpful for all children, although some of the leaflets are designed for children with named conditions.

• Toilet training children with autism and related conditions - parents
• Toilet training for children with autism and related conditions - professionals and carers
• Top tips for potty training children with down syndrome and other learning disabilities
• Using a wetting alarm for toilet training

Pants4School Top Toileting Tips

Pants4School are resources developed with Positive About Down Syndrome to help toilet training children with learning disabilities. The aim is to enable children with Down syndrome to be toilet ready for school.

Families of children with other learning disabilities, or whose children who do not have additional needs, but who are finding toilet training challenging, may also find these information leaflets useful:

• encouraging drinks
• frequently asked questions - potty training and continence
• how long on the potty
• how much to drink and how many wees a day?
• readiness for toilet training
• step 1 - setting the scene
• step 2 - developing the skills needed
• step 3 - identifying patterns
• step 4 - using the toilet for wee or poo
• think balloon
• toilet rules age 1
• toilet rules age 2
• toilet rules age 3
• when to visit the potty

ERIC website and the Bladder and Bowel UK website offer a wide range of helpful advice and support to those wanting to know more.

What is a Dynamic Support Register?

A Dynamic support register is sometimes called a DSR.

A Dynamic support register is a list of people with a Learning Disability and Autistic people who need additional support.

People on the Dynamic Support Register are at risk of going into hospital if they do not get the right care and treatment in their home.

The register tells health and care staff about the type of support a person with a learning disability or an autistic person needs to stay well at home.

Who should be on the Dynamic Support Register?

The DSR is for children and adults with a confirmed diagnosis of Autism or a Learning Disability with active involvement from health and/ or social services plus one of the following:

• Currently displaying behaviours that pose a risk to self or others or experiencing a decline in mental health wellbeing that services are finding difficult to manage
• Currently displaying behaviours that pose a risk to self or others or experiencing a decline in mental health wellbeing that may result in admission to a mental health or learning disability hospital setting
• Currently admitted to a mental health or learning disability hospital setting and within 3 months of discharge
• Currently being accommodated in a secure environment or custody where health input is required and within 3 months of release
• Within 3 months post discharge from a Mental Health or Learning Disability hospital setting

What does the Dynamic Support Register do?

The DSR is hosted by either the ICB (adults) or Leeds Community Healthcare (Children). The DSR meeting brings together health, social care and third sector colleagues on a regular basis to discuss each person who is on the DSR and ensure that they are receiving the care that they need at the current time. The meeting will create actions about what needs to happen next to ensure that the person is receiving the right care and treatment to prevent hospital admission. If these actions do not have any impact on preventing further deterioration, a Care (Education) Treatment Review (C(E)TR) may be needed. If a C(E)TR is needed, this will be discussed with you and your consent will be needed for this to go ahead.

What does the Dynamic Support Register look like?

The DSR uses a colour system to show different levels of risk.

This helps health and care workers to decide how much risk there is of someone going into hospital.

• Red is for people who are at high risk of going into hospital straight away.
• Amber is for people who are at high risk of going into hospital if they do not get the right care and treatment soon.
• Green is for people who are having their risks managed well at home.
• Blue is for people who are already in hospital.

The DSR is then used to make sure that the right checks are carried out by health and care teams.

Using the colour system means:

• a Care and Treatment Review or Care (Education) and Treatment Review might take place
• health and care teams can make sure they provide the right care and treatment.

What further support does the DSR give?

The DSR Leads are experienced practitioners who can help make sure your care is right for you.

For children and young people aged below 25, a Barnardo’s keyworker would be recommended if you are RAG rated amber or red. click here for more information

What information will be held on the DSR?

The information will depend on your care and support needs. It will include information about:

• Current care and treatment
• Your health including mental health
• Any current health and care plans
• Where you live and who you live with
• Your name and date of birth
• Anything else people need to know to keep you safe.

Your personal information will be kept in a safe place and it will only be shared with people who provide your care now or in the future.

This information also helps health and social care teams understand what difference the register is making in people’s lives and provide the right kind of services.

How long will I be on the DSR for?

You will be on the DSR until your care and treatment is right for you and your risk of hospital admission has reduced. This may mean transferring from the Children’s DSR to the Adults DSR when you are in transition. Your care co-ordinator or social worker will keep you updated about what is talked about at the DSR meeting and whether being included on the DSR is still needed. If you do not feel the DSR is working for you, you can withdraw your consent at any time.

How do I get onto the DSR?

Speak to your health and/ or social care worker about the DSR.

You can self-refer onto the DSR.

Further information

• For people aged 18+, please contact wyicb-leeds.mhlda@nhs.net
• For children and young people under 18, please contact lcht.leedscamhs.DSR@nhs.net
• DSR Policy: https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/dsr-cetr-young-person-guides/

West Yorkshire Keyworker Pilot Service

The West Yorkshire Keyworker pilot offers support for children and young people (aged 0-25) with Autism and/or a learning disability who are currently in specialist inpatient settings or are at risk of admission. This pilot covers Wakefield, Calderdale, Kirklees, Bradford and Leeds.

Children and young people who have a Learning disability and/or Autism and are inpatients or at risk of being admitted to hospital as inpatients are entitled to access a key worker to support them.

We work with young people and their families at the centre of their care by building relationships with them and supporting them to have their voices heard.

We aim to ensure CETR/CTR outcomes are chosen and implemented with the young person’s goals in mind.

We aim to influence systems change and shape services based on families’ experiences of successes and barriers to effective support.

We support the young person and their family to navigate their journey through the system, ensuring they are at the centre of their care.

Contact Details: 

Tel: 07710183369 

Email: sylvia.shatwell@barnardos.org.uk

Collectively we are a group of professionals who provide eye care for children and their families in Leeds.

Opticians
It is important to care for your eyes and get them checked regularly. When you visit an optician or optometrist, you’ll have your sight tested to ensure you don’t have any abnormalities or signs of any eye disease.

They also prescribe and fit glasses and contact lenses.

If necessary, they will refer you on a specialist doctor or eye surgeon for further advice and treatment.

To find an optician in your local area please visit www.nhs.uk/service-search/find-an-optician

Further information can be found here. 

Leeds Community Healthcare Eye Service

Leeds Community Healthcare Eye Service provide eye care to children between the ages of 6 months and 8 years who live in Leeds. They provide diagnosis and treatment for vision defects, eye misalignment (squints) and eye movement disorders.

The service will also see older children with neurodisability who require on going glasses checks that can't be managed by a 'high street' optician.

They also lead the vision screening service in Leeds where all children aged 5 (reception year) are offered a vision test (visual acuity screening) by the 0-19 PHINS service in school.

Further information can be found here: click here

The Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust provide Specialist optometric support to the Community Children’s Eye Service clinics. 

The Orthoptists specialises in measuring children's vision and binocularity (ability to use their two eyes together).

Any child found to have a problem with their vision or binocularity will be followed up or treated in the community centres, a small number of children are referred into the Hospital Eye Service at St. James's University Hospital for Consultant Ophthalmologist opinion or squint surgery.

Community Children's Eye Clinics - Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (leedsth.nhs.uk)

Collectively we are a group of professionals who are passionate about providing the best care to deaf children and their families in Leeds. The team fosters a joint, positive approach to deafness and aims to provide a seamless journey as our families move throughout the different services. 

If you have concerns regarding your child’s hearing, you can ask your child’s GP, or a healthcare professional involved in their care, for a referral to one of our paediatric audiology services.

Further information: Signs of childhood deafness | Identifying deafness in children

Services available in Leeds

Deaf and Hearing Impairment Team (DAHIT)

An Educational Audiologist/Teacher of the Deaf works with children and families in their homes, early years settings, local schools, or further education settings. They provide advice and training to ensure that families and staff in settings have the knowledge and skills to support the development and achievement of their child or young person.

Deaf and Hearing Impairment Team (DAHIT)
Tel: 0113 378 5296

For more information click here.

Newborn Hearing Screening Programme

Newborn hearing screening helps identify babies who have permanent hearing loss as early as possible. These babies and their families can then get the support and advice they need right from the start.

A Newborn Hearing Screener will offer to test your baby’s hearing, usually before you are discharged. Otherwise, you can attend an out-patient appointment within the first few weeks.

If the screening results do not show a clear response from one or both of your baby’s ears, an appointment will be made with the Hospital Audiologist for further testing.

Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Newborn Hearing Screening Service
Tel: 0113 392 2591

For more information click here. 

Hearing and Balance Services

The Audiologists at Seacroft hospital tests children’s hearing aged 0-25 and then offer a seamless transition to the adult service. Babies and children can be referred here for more specialised hearing tests and to confirm any deafness. If hearing aids are offered as a management option, these will be fitted to your child’s individual needs and their progress with the hearing aids will be monitored in close collaboration with the Teacher of the Deaf.

Hearing and Balance Service
Tel: 0113 206 3888
For more information click here.

Ear, Nose and Throat Consultant

An ear, nose, and throat specialist looks after hearing problems. Your ENT doctor’s role is to identify any causes of hearing loss and if there are any medical or surgical treatments that may help. A treatment can range from something relatively simple, like removing wax, treating infection or placing grommets to more complex surgeries. The ENT doctor may also recommend your child has imaging studies (CT or MRI scans) to further understand the type and source of hearing loss. The doctor may also need to check your child’s ears are suitable for hearing aid fitting. If it is felt that your child may benefit from a cochlear implant, the ENT doctor, along with the audiologist will refer you onto a specialist centre for additional assessments and counselling prior to surgery.

Ear, Nose and Throat Department
Tel: 0113 518 1823
Email: leedsth-tr.entadmin@nhs.net

Children’s Community Audiology Service

A Community Audiologist tests children’s hearing, aged 0-18 years, in health centres across the city. They can identify children with hearing loss and discuss suitable management options depending on the degree of loss and current difficulties the child may be experiencing. Children with health conditions associated with possible hearing loss are also monitored in our clinics.

Community Audiology
Tel: 0113 843 3620

For more information click here.

Community Paediatrician
(Audiological Medicine)

A Community Paediatrician is a doctor specialising in children’s health with an interest in hearing problems. They are trained to find out the causes and diagnose the type of hearing loss or balance disorder your child has. They can also offer advice on and assist in the treatment and management of the hearing loss.

Audiological Medicine
Tel: 0113 843 3620

For more information click here.

Speech and Language Therapist
(DAHIT Speech and Language Therapy Clinic)

A specialist speech and language therapist (SLT) works with babies and children with a diagnosed hearing loss in Leeds. You may see a SLT in a variety of settings including at home, in school or nursery. A SLT will offer support for families, school and nursery staff to develop the communication skills of deaf and hearing-impaired babies and children.

DAHIT Speech and Language Therapy
Tel: 0113 843 3650
Email: lcht.cslt@nhs.net

For more information click here.

Local support

• Leeds Deaf Children’s Society
• National Deaf Children's Society

The following charitable organisations offer hospice care providing support for children and young people with life-limiting conditions and their families living in Leeds:

Martin House Children’s Hospice

Martin House provides family-led hospice care, free of charge for children and young people with life-limiting conditions.

Martin house support children and young people with a life-limiting condition, along with their families, to live well and fully, offering end of-life care and support to the family in bereavement.

click here to find out more.

Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice

Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice is an award winning, organisation which operates from Russel House based in Huddersfield.  We support children in house, in hospitals, at home and in the community across the whole of West Yorkshire.  The care we provide is safe, effective, caring, responsive and well led and our current CQC rating is ‘Outstanding’.

Care is both planned and reactive and is a mix of clinical care, social care, family support services, group work and activities.

Clinical care services

• in house short breaks and crisis care
• hospice at home including end of life care 
• step down care
• end of life care
• snowflake care
• perinatal care
• information, advice and guidance

Family support services

• snowflake pathway
• bereavement support
• sudden unexplained dead in a child (SUDIC) service
• sibling support
• creative therapies 
• eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing therapy

Support services

• family activities
• community engagement (south asian and eastern european support)
• transport services
• peer support groups
• hydrotherapy

Click here for more information about Forget Me Not. 

Together for Short Lives

Together for Short Lives a national charity provides support via their helpline and family support hub if you are a parent or carer who looks or knows a child or young person expected to have a short life.

click here to find out more

Leeds Palliative Care Network

Leeds Palliative Care Network’s website provides information about palliative and end of life services for adults in Leeds. These service are provided by a group pf health and care organisations that work together across the city to support you, your family, friends and carers.

click here to find out more.

The Inclusion Nursing team consists of qualified nurses and health care support workers who work to promote the health and well-being of children and young people with complex health, additional needs, autism and Learning disability attending the Specialist Inclusion Centres.

We achieve this through working in partnership with children, young people, parents, carers, education and other professionals involved in their care.

Our key areas of focus are:

• To promote opportunities for children and young people to be involved in all aspects of school life.
• To work in partnership to support families where children are in need of protection.
• Assessment of nursing needs of children and young people, completing care plans, setting goal based outcomes.
• To provide support, advice and information on health issues to children, young people, parents, carers, education staff and other professionals.
• To provide training and mentorship to education, the voluntary sector, parents and medical and nursing students.
• To promote healthy lifestyles within the home and school environment, 1:1 or group.
• Joint attendance at specialist clinics within specialist inclusive learning centres with paediatricians, nurse led clinics, and feeding clinics.

Find out more here: LCH Inclusion Nursing (ICAN)

The Integrated Children’s Additional Needs Service comprises several services who are there to help children and young people with additional needs due to developmental delay or disorders to achieve their outcomes.

The services are there to help children and young people to achieve their goals by:

• Supporting the participation and inclusion of children, young people with disabilities and their families in everyday activities.
• Empowering children, young people and their families to self-manage conditions and feel in control of their care.
• Identifying and managing underlying impairments such as disabilities and illnesses to prevent or reduce secondary conditions.
• Promoting child wellbeing through safeguarding and healthy lifestyle support.

Within ICAN services are delivered by Community Paediatricians, Physiotherapists, Occupational therapists, Specialist Health Visitors, nurses, speech therapists, dieticians and psychologists and other health practitioners who work as part of the Multi Disciplinary team. All members of the clinical team are specialists in their field in the assessment and management of children and young people with concerns about their development. They see children with a wide range of special needs and disabilities. Children are seen in a range of settings including at home , in clinics, in school or at nursery.

The following services are part of ICAN:

• Audiology / Audiological medicine (hearing)
• Community Paediatrics
• Nursing (including Inclusion nursing, continuing care nursing and short breaks, Hannah House)
• Occupational Therapy
• Physiotherapy

Find out more here: click here

Accessing Health Service

Reasonable adjustments are a legal requirement to make sure health services are accessible to all. Anyone with a disability can request reasonable adjustments, like having a longer appointment. If you feel this is something you would benefit from, please speak to any health professional involved in your care, such as your GP. 

NHS England has published a web page on reasonable adjustments in Health Services for disabled people focusing on specific adjustments for people with learning disabilities. There are several videos and links to help both people in the health service as well as people with learning disabilities. 

https://www.england.nhs.uk/learning-disabilities/improving-health/reasonable-adjustments

https://www.learningdisabilityservice-leeds.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Reasonable-adjustments-Alert-updated-Sept-2022-1.pdf

If you have a Learning Disability your GP can place you on the Learning Disability register which means you should be offered a ‘health check’ every year from the age of 14 years. Find out more about Annual Health Checks above.

Health Facilitation Team, support professionals to improve the learning disability offer in general practices and support them in making reasonable adjustments and to understand the health needs of the learning disability population. On their website Get Checked Out Information and materials to support people with learning disabilities get the best from their health care can be found: click here

If you do not feel you are getting the extra support or the reasonable adjustments you require are not being put in place for health appointments please contact the relevant Patient and Liaison Service. 

Further information on Learning Disability can be found here: click here

Community Services

Leeds CYPMHS’ Learning Disability Service, Leeds Community Healthcare Trust (LCH)

If a young person (up to 18 years) in Leeds has a Learning Disability their needs should still be met by school or Cluster. If these services are struggling to support the young person, and they have a moderate or severe Learning Disability, a referral can then be made to the Learning Disability Team for extra support. Referrals are taken by the MindMate Single point of Access.

Find out more about MindMate Single point of Access here: click here

Community Learning Disability Services , Leeds and York Partnership Foundation Trust (LYPFT)

The Community Learning Disability Team provides a specialist service to adults 18 and over with a learning disability and complex health needs. They see people whose needs cannot be met in mainstream health services with reasonable adjustments.

The East-north-east community learning disability team (CLDT) and the intensive support team (IST) are based at St. Mary’s Hospital. The CLDT receives referrals via the Assessment and referral team (ART), the CLDT is a multidisciplinary team consisting of learning disability nurses, physiotherapists, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, dieticians, psychologists and psychiatrists who work in collaboration to meet the health needs of people who have learning disabilities. The IST, also a multidisciplinary team, supports people with learning disabilities who have complex mental health or behavioural needs, their aim is preventing people from needing hospital care under the Mental Health Act. 

For more information on what you can expect from the team, download a copy of their easy read leaflet about the service. Click here to download easy read leaflet

The Transitions Team, Leeds City Council

The Transitions Team work with young people from 14 to 25 years old who have a diagnosed disability and/or complex health needs.

The Transitions Team are a dedicated group of social workers and health care professionals that work alongside other professionals including health and education.

We work together to develop the right level of social care support, built around the young person’s needs. The Transitions Team work with the young person, their family and professionals to increase independence in preparation for adulthood. We also use a strengths-based approach and work to build on and promote existing support within the family and wider community.

The Transitions Team can only work with young people where there is an existing package of care in place, such as a Direct Payment or Respite. Young people should have either an active Early Help Plan, a Social Worker from Children’s Social Care or receive funding from Children’s Continuing Healthcare.

Find out more about the Transitions Team here: click here

Inpatient Services

Leeds Teaching Hospitals

If you are visiting one of the Leeds Teaching Hospitals and have a learning disability and / or Autism diagnosis or you support someone who does, The Learning Disability and Autism Team are available to offer advice and support whilst accessing any of the Leeds Teaching Hospitals services. Click here to find out more about the support they offer.

The Learning Disability and Autism Team also support the staff at the Leeds Teaching hospitals to understand what reasonable adjustments are and to have discussions with individuals, their carers and paid carers to identify how they can be appropriately supported whilst accessing any of our services.

Click here to download easy read service leaflets.

Health Passport

The health passport is offered to everyone with a diagnosis of autism or learning disability and is available to all community services in Leeds.

People with learning disabilities are encouraged to complete their hospital passport and share it with the hospital staff as they are going into hospital for an admission or attending an outpatient appointment.

The passport can also be sent to the Learning Disability & Autism team to be uploaded onto their system.

The Learning disability and Autism Team can be contacted by:

• Telephone: 0113 2066836
• Email: leedsth-tr.ldautism.nhs.net
• Twitter: @getmebetter

Find out more about health passports here.

'Neurodiversity’ (ND) refers to the concept that all our brains are unique; this affects how we each perceive and react to what’s around us. Overall, the majority of people and their brains function and process things similarly.  Neurodivergent describes individuals with brains that are structured differently due to a natural variation in brain development and function. Neurodivergence includes autistic people and those with ADHD, dyslexia, dyscalculia, developmental language disorder (DLD) and Tourette syndrome. 

Neurodivergent individuals may or may not have a diagnosis of one or more of these neurotypes. The characteristics of each neurotype often cross over. Many neurodivergent individuals have a range of different characteristics or traits of different neurotypes. 

Having neurodivergent characteristics does not necessarily mean you or your child is autistic or ADHD. You / your child should be able to access support whether or not you have a formal diagnosis. Support should be offered on the basis of your child’s individual needs - a needs-led approach.

The MindMate Neurodiversity (ND) Information Hub (ND Info Hub) is a reliable source of information about neurodivergence. This is created jointly by Leeds Children and Young People's Mental Health Service (CYPMHS) and the West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB). 

The ND Info Hub includes a wide range of information about neurodivergence, neurodivergent characteristics, support available and recommendations.  There is also information about school support, autism and ADHD diagnostic assessments and much more! The ND Info Hub is designed to provide support to all neurodivergent children, young people and families, at any point in their neurodiversity journey. 

Nutrition and Dietetic services offer expert nutritional advice in a variety of community and healthcare settings. Those receiving dietetic input will have involvement from a Dietitian and/or Dietetic Assistant, some services have involvement from other healthcare professionals too.

Dietitians use the most up-to-date public health and scientific research on food, health and disease which they translate into practical guidance to enable individuals to make appropriate lifestyle and food choices.

Leeds Community Healthcare Children’s Nutrition and Dietetic Service is a citywide service supporting children, aged 0-16 years (19 for learning disabilities), with a wide range of nutrition and health problems including:

• Cow’s Milk Intolerance/Allergy (sometimes in combination with other food allergies/intolerance)
• Nutrition support e.g. low weight/delayed growth
• Nutrition assessment e.g. iron deficiency
• Assessment of restricted diets/eating problems
• Support for patients who tube feed and their families (including input to Specialist Inclusive Learning Centres)

Find out more here: click here

Growth and Nutrition Service provide clinics and home visiting to assess, investigate and manage young children up to 7 years old who have significant problems with feeding and eating and have not improved with initial advice, including those being considered for or receiving tube-feeding and those with sensory feeding problems. The team includes community paediatricians, specialist health visitor/ICAN nurse, a community paediatric dietician and a clinical psychologist.

Find out more here: click here

Leeds Children’s Hospital, the Children’s Dietetic Team provides support for children and young people who have conditions that require dietary management to maintain growth and improve their overall quality of life. They have input in both inpatient and outpatient involvement.

Find out more here: click here

Leeds Community Healthcare Adult Nutrition and Dietetic Service is a city-wide service supporting adults (aged 16 years and older) with a range of nutrition and health needs including:

• Difficulties with eating and drinking that might result in under nutrition
• Gut and bowel conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome
• Low FODMAP diet
• Diabetes and heart disease
• Dietary assessment and advice regarding nutritional deficiencies.

Find out more here: click here

Complications of Excess weight (CEW) service sees young people from West Yorkshire provided by LTHT Childrens hospital however is delivered in the community. Health professional can refer to this service if a young person’s excess weight is starting to cause problems with their health.

Click here to find out more, or download the information booklet here.

Occupational Therapy

Occupational Therapy supports people to join in with daily activities (occupations). Occupations are important for everyone and include the things we need to do or want to do, these different activities support our health and wellbeing throughout our lives.

Being able to join in with (participate in) occupations, learn new skills and achieve our goals is what builds our quality of life. Occupational Therapists work with people to support this.

 This is done by thinking about; 

• The Person – what is important to and for them, their support needs, their skills.
• The Environment – the place where the activity happens, people who can help, usual routines or time/resources available.
• The Occupation (activity or thing that occupies our time) – what is it, how is it done, can it be changed or made easier? 

These three things need to work together for someone to participate in occupation successfully. Occupational Therapists provide support where there is a difficulty in one or more of these areas that stops a person participating in occupation and help to find ways to improve the difficulty.

Children’s Occupational Therapists think about 3 main areas of occupation when working with children, young people and their families.

Self-care – learning to eat, wash, dress and take care of themselves is an important part of children’s development. These skills are complex and often involve problem-solving as well as physical movement and multi-tasking.

School/Education – Lots of different skills are needed to be able to join in at nursery or school. E.g. getting around school, organising yourself, paying attention, joining in with learning tasks, learning to problem-solve, fine motor skills and work towards learning goals.

Play/Leisure – children spend most of their time playing. This is important for learning new skills, experiencing fun and a sense of achievement, making friends and understanding themselves and the world. Play can involve exploration, imagination, using different objects or be focused on movement and sensation.

Some children with medical needs, disabilities, SEND or other additional needs may have difficulties joining in with their daily occupations. Occupational Therapists work with children and their families to provide advice and support so that children can join in with their daily occupations.

Occupational therapy recommendations focus on occupational goals, recommendations are implemented by parents/carers and schools during everyday activities and the child’s normal routine. Research tells us that more effective change and achievement of goals needs lots of practice as part of everyday activities in a real-world environment over a prolonged period of time.

Within Leeds you may see an occupational therapist in the community (in your home, clinic, nursery or school) or at Leeds Children’s Hospital if you are under a specialist team or are an inpatient. If you are a young person over 18 years old you may access occupational therapy through adult services.

For children and young people with complex needs they may also see occupational therapist from the CHAD team for equipment and adaptations to your home. 

Children’s Community Occupational Therapy 

The occupational therapists are part of the Integrated Children’s Additional Needs (ICAN) Service. 

Children’s community occupational therapists work with children and young people aged 0-19 years  with a wide range of disabilities however, they do not require a medical diagnosis to be referred into our service. We focus on concerns around functional ability for children with known neurological or medical presentations. Our services support children and young people as well as their families through setting functional goals that are meaningful and provide strategies to achieve these goals whether it be at home or at school or nurseries.

On the occupational therapy website, you can find top tips for supporting children and young people with a range of everyday activities and support to understand and manage a child’s sensory differences. 

Click here to find out more about the Children’s Community Occupational Therapy service. 

There are also videos on  Leeds Community Healthcare Trust YouTube channel. 

Leeds Children’s Hospital Occupational Therapy 

Children’s hospital occupational therapists work with children from birth until they leave full time education across a range of inpatient and outpatient services. Children will be seen in the most appropriate environment for their needs which may include the ward, therapy department, clinics, their home or educational setting.

Find out more about the Children’s Hospital Occupational Therapy  service here: Children's Occupational Therapy (leedsth.nhs.uk)

Child Health and Disability (CHAD) Occupational Therapy Team 

The Child Health and Disability Service (CHAD) comprises several teams who work with children and young people aged 0-18 with complex health needs and disabilities, where their disability has an impact on their ability to be safe, develop skills for life and be part of their local communities growing up. 

The Occupational Therapy Team within CHAD cover the whole of the Leeds area and assess the long-term home needs of children, young people and their parents and carers. They can recommend equipment and adaptations to the home as well as advising families on safe moving and handling techniques.

Find out more about them here: Support with child health and disability occupational therapy (leeds.gov.uk)

Community Learning Disability Team (CLDT)

The Community Learning Disability Team (CLDT) provides a specialist service across Leeds to adults aged 18 years and over with a learning disability and complex health needs. They work with people whose needs cannot be met in mainstream health services with reasonable adjustments.

The teams are made up of professionals including psychiatrists, psychologists, physiotherapists, dietitians, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists and learning disability nurses.

Find out more about them here: Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust -Community Learning Disability Teams (CLDT) (leedsandyorkpft.nhs.uk)

Community Neurological Rehabilitation Team (CNRS)

The Community Neurological Rehabilitation Team (CNRS) provides rehabilitation in a community setting for adults with a neurological condition who have a Leeds GP. Service users are seen in the most appropriate location which may include home, leisure or community facilities, workplace, educational facilities, and healthcare premises. The team provide rehabilitation to optimise function, participation, quality of life and independence. This includes support for young adults with neurodisability making the transition from paediatric to adult services.

Find out more about them here: Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust - Neurological Rehabilitation Service

Community Paediatricians

There are a number of clinics that are delivered by community paediatricians and other health practitioners are part of the ICAN (Integrated Children Additional Needs) service.

Community paediatricians are doctors who are specialists in the assessment and management of children and young people with concerns about their development. They see children with a wide range of special needs and disabilities.

The Community Paediatric Clinic sees children up to the age of 19 with a range of non-urgent health needs and are delivered by community paediatricians, specialist nurses and dietitians

Find out more here: click here

The Paediatric Neurodisability (PND) Clinics are led by a neurodisability paediatrician who specialises in the management of children and young people with disabilities resulting from congenital or acquired long-term neurodevelopmental conditions.

Find out more here: click here

Growth and Nutrition Service provide clinics and home visiting to assess, investigate and manage young children up to seven years old who have significant problems with feeding and eating who have not improved with initial advice. The team includes community paediatricians, specialist health visitor/ICAN nurse, a community paediatric dietician and a clinical psychologist.

Find out more here: click here

Springfield Neonatal Follow-up Clinic provides an early intervention and prevention service for children of parents who misuse drugs or alcohol or who are on a methadone or alcohol treatment programme. We also see babies whose mothers have taken prescription opiates (painkillers) during pregnancy.

Find out more here: click here

Adoption and Fostering service works to provide medical support for children in care through the adoption and fostering process.

Find out more here: click here

Hospital Paediatricians

You may also see a paediatrician at Leeds Childrens Hospital within the department of
Children’s Medicine (General Paediatrics), this is often the first point of care for a child or young person with a medical problem.

Find out more here: click here

Physiotherapy helps to restore movement and function when someone is affected by injury, illness or disability. Physiotherapists work in different ways; through movement and exercise, manual therapy, education and advice.

You may see a physiotherapist in the community (in your home, clinic, nursery or school) or you may see a physiotherapist at Leeds Children’s Hospital if you are under a specialist team, or are an inpatient. If you are a young person over 18 years old you may access physiotherapy through adult services.

Children’s Community Physiotherapy

The physiotherapists are part of the Integrated Children's Additional Needs (ICAN) Service

Community physiotherapists work with children and young people aged 0-19 years who have physical difficulties, delayed development or a disability which impacts upon their movement and makes their daily participation in activities difficult. The young people accessing this team often have a long term neurological or developmental condition.

Physiotherapists help children and young people to improve their quality of life by promoting independence. They do this through assessment and working with families and other professionals to understand the young person’s difficulties, in order to provide support to manage these.

The service works with children and young people up to the age of 19 years if they attend a SILC setting, up to the age of 18 years if they attend school 6th form, and up to 16 years of age if they leave school to go to college or are home educated.

The community physiotherapy service includes an orthotic service for children who are open to a community physiotherapist. Orthotics can include insoles, specialist footwear, braces and splints. For children who are not under the children’s community physiotherapy service, please see information below about orthotic services in Leeds.

Find out more about the Children’s Community Physiotherapy service here: LCH Physiotherapy

Leeds Children’s Hospital Physiotherapy

Leeds Children’s Hospital physiotherapists provide assessment, treatment and advice on a variety of conditions to children and families on the wards, in outpatients and at home, nursery or school. 

They have specialist teams of physiotherapists working across several areas including:

• Neurology Team who provide rehabilitation for children following neurological insult or surgery.
• Neuro-Orthopaedics who provide comprehensive care to support the orthopaedic surgical management of children with cerebral palsy.
• Neuromuscular Team who work with the children who have genetic disorders affecting nerves or muscles to develop and maintain their gross motor skills.
• Oncology who work with children affected by cancer.

Some families may have a community physiotherapist and also see a hospital physiotherapist at certain times in relation to a hospital admission or a specific condition.

Find out more about them here: Physiotherapy - Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (leedsth.nhs.uk)

Wheelchair Services

Wheelchair Services are located at Seacroft Hospital and work with children and adults who have long term mobility problems.

This service is open to children and adults including provision of buggies to children over 30 months.

Find out more about them here: click here

Orthotics Services

Orthotics Services work with children and adults with a wide range of conditions. Orthotics can include insoles, specialist footwear, braces and splints. Children who are under the community physiotherapy service can access orthotics as part of that service (see community physiotherapy information).

Find out more about the general orthotics service here: click here

SANO Physiotherapy

Sano Physiotherapy is commissioned by the NHS to provide non-acute musculoskeletal physiotherapy for children and young adults in Leeds.

The service provides specialist physiotherapy for children and young adults under the age of 17 and up to the day before their 18th birthday with non-acute musculoskeletal conditions for example joint hypermobility syndromes, Osgood-Schlatters disease, non-surgical back or neck pain.

Children and Young People need to be referred by a GP or other health professional to access the NHS service provided by Sano.

Find out more about them here: click here

Adult Physiotherapy Services

The Community Learning Disability Team (CLDT) provides a specialist service across Leeds to adults aged 18 years and over with a learning disability and complex health needs. They work with people whose needs cannot be met in mainstream health services with reasonable adjustments.

The teams are made up of professionals including psychiatrists, psychologists, physiotherapists, dietitians, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists and learning disability nurses.

Find out more about them here: click here

The Community Neurological Rehabilitation Team (CNRS) provides rehabilitation in a community setting for adults with a neurological condition who have a Leeds GP. Service users are seen in the most appropriate location which may include home, leisure or community facilities, workplace, educational facilities, and healthcare premises. The team provide rehabilitation to optimise function, participation, quality of life and independence. This includes support for young adults with neurodisability making the transition from paediatric to adult services.

Find out more about them here: Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust - Neurological Rehabilitation Service

Primary care services provide the first point of contact in the healthcare system, acting as the ‘front door’ of the NHS. Primary care includes general practice, community pharmacy, dental, and optometry (eye health) services.

Find out more about Primary Care here: GPs and primary care services

GP (General Practitioner) Services

Your local GP practice provides a wide range of health services, including medical advice, vaccinations, examinations and treatment, prescriptions for medicines, referrals to other health services and social services.

Find out more about GP services here: GP Services

Pharmacy Services

Pharmacists are highly trained healthcare professionals who play a key role in providing quality healthcare to patients.

As well as ensuring the safe supply and use of medicines, pharmacists can advise on common problems such as coughs, colds, aches and pains, as well as healthy eating and stopping smoking. They can also help you decide whether you need to see a doctor.

Find out more about Pharmacy services here: Pharmacy services

Dentists

Dentists work to prevent and treat dental and oral disease, correct dental irregularities (particularly in children) and treat dental and facial injuries.

Find out more about Dental services here: Dental services

Opticians

Opticians provide eye health services for patients.

Find out more about optician services here: optician services and in Eye Services within Health Service on Leeds on the Local Offer.

Also see Finding Health Information and Health Services

Specialist Equipment

Specialist equipment can enable children with mobility and postural difficulties to participate in everyday activities and achieve the most independence.

• Postural care and mobility equipment such as walking frames, standing frames and sleep systems are assessed by Community Physiotherapy.
• Specialist beds, bathing/ showering aids and toileting aids are assessed by Community Children’s Occupational Therapists , Hospital (LTHT) Occupational Therapists or the Child Health and Disability Occupational Therapy (CHAD OT) Team which is part of social care.
• Specialist supportive seating is assessed by Community Children’s Occupational Therapists or Hospital (LTHT) Occupational Therapists.
• Moving and handling equipment (hoists and slings) may be assessed by Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists or the CHAD Occupational Therapy Team.
• Other types of small equipment, such as adapted cutlery, writing tools, scissors etc are not usually provided by health services, but your child’s Occupational Therapists will be able to advise you on which may be most suitable for your child. Your child’s therapists will also assess and advise about any equipment required to help your child access and participate in school life.
• Requests for equipment required for school are sent to the Access Officer at Leeds City Council, part of the Access Team Assets and Access Team. click here
• Not all equipment is provided by NHS or Local Authority services, however in certain circumstances your child’s therapists would be able to support you to apply for charity funding if required. Your child’s therapists will be able to advise what is likely to be available from public funding and will help you decide between the different types of equipment.

Find out more about Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy under their service headings.

Wheelchairs

Wheelchairs are assessed and provided by Leeds Wheelchair Centre. Repairs to NHS provided wheelchairs are carried out by Ross Care.

Orthotics

Orthotics (e.g. splints, braces, specialist footwear or insoles) may be recommended to enhance your child’s development and functional abilities. They may be provided by different services depending on who is providing care for your child. Your child’s GP, specialist doctor or physiotherapist can make a referral for assessment and will discuss with you the appropriate service.

Home adaptations

Home adaptations advice and assessment can be sought from the CHAD team One minute guide.

Advice can also be sought from the housing team adapting your home.

Alternative and Augmentative Communication – Communication Aids

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) services help people communicate as effectively as possible when speech is impaired.

The term Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) covers a wide range of techniques that support or replace spoken communication. AAC techniques use a person’s abilities, whatever they are, to compensate for their difficulties with speech and to make communication as quick, simple and effective as possible when speech is impaired. The techniques include gestures, signing, symbols, communication boards and books, as well as powered and computerised devices such as voice output communication aids (VOCAs).

Enabling people to communicate improves their quality of life. It offers people new opportunities in their family life, education, social life, friendships and employment. It helps to increase independence and promotes equality for people with difficulty communicating.

The Leeds Communication Aids Service (CAS) provides augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) consultation, assessment, intervention, and provision of electronic communication aids. CAS has close links with the regional specialised AAC service, the Barnsley Assistive Technology Team (BATT). CAS covers people who are registered with a Leeds GP and also in-patients in hospitals in Leeds (who may have a GP out of area).

The referral form can be found in the Children’s Speech and Language section on the Leeds Community Healthcare Website.

Other

The William Merrit Disabled Living Centre offers impartial and professional advice for children and adults living with a disability or long-term condition. The Centre carries out assessments for members of the public to help them choose and use daily living aids with confidence and enhance their independence. They can assess in conjunction with NHS or Social Care therapists and families can also approach them directly for support.

What do speech and language therapists do?

Speech and language therapists (SLTs) provide life-improving treatment, support and care for children and adults who have difficulties with communication, eating, drinking or swallowing.

SLTs assess and treat speech, language and communication problems in people of all ages to help them communicate better. They also assess, treat and develop personalised plans to support people who have eating and swallowing problems.

Using specialist skills, SLTs work directly with clients and their carers and provide them with tailored support. They also work closely with teachers and other health professionals, such as doctors, nurses, other allied health professionals and psychologists to develop individual treatment programmes.

Who benefits from speech and language therapy?

Speech and language therapy benefits people of all ages, for example:

Infants: SLTs support premature babies and infants with conditions such as cerebral palsy, cleft palate and Down syndrome from very early in life who have difficulties with drinking, swallowing and early play and communication skills.

Childrens SLTs support children with primary speech, language and communication difficulties, such as stammering, as well as speech, language and communication difficulties that are secondary to other conditions such as learning difficulties and hearing problems.

Adults with learning difficulties: SLTs support adults who have developmental conditions such as learning disabilities, autism and Down syndrome.

Where do speech and language therapists work?

Speech and language therapists work together with children, adults, families, carers and the wider workforce, to carry out assessments and plan personalised therapy programmes which meet each individual’s communication and swallowing needs. They work in wide variety of contexts and environments including:

• community health centres
• hospital wards and intensive care units
• outpatient departments
• children’s centres, mainstream and special schools
• assessment units, day centres and nursing homes
• clients’ homes
• courtrooms, prisons and young offenders’ institutions.

Children’s Speech and Language Therapy Services

Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust

We provide a speech and language therapy service to Children 0-19 years in the community.
Find out more about them here: LCH Speech and Language Therapy

Leeds Children’s Hospital Children’s Speech and Language Therapy

We provide an acute speech and language therapy service to paediatric inpatients at Leeds Children’s Hospital.

Find out more about them here: Children's Speech and Language Therapy

Regional Cleft Lip & Palate Service; Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

We provide speech and language therapy as part of the cleft lip and palate team based at Leeds General Infirmary.

Find out more about them here: Cleft Lip and Palate Service

Self-Funded Speech and Language Therapy

The Association of Speech and Language Therapists in Independent Practice (ASLTIP) provides a directory of independent Speech and Language Therapist within the United Kingdom.

Click here to find a speech therapist

Commissioned SLT

Some settings in Leeds commission Speech and Language Therapy time to provide support to individual children, workforce development and implement whole school approaches in their setting. This can be commissioned from an NHS or independent provider.

Adult Speech and Language Therapy Services

The Learning Disability Speech and Language Therapy Team work with adults who have a diagnosed Learning Disability and have communication or swallowing needs which cannot be met within a mainstream service. Community Learning Disability Teams