Requesting help from CFHD
Anyone aged under 18 who lives in Devon (excluding Plymouth) can get specialist care from CFHD. To get help from CFHD you will need a referral. A referral is the way to ask to see an NHS specialist.
If you need urgent help there are lots of places that offer instant access support over the phone, by text or online.
Who can make a referral
Watch this video to find out who can get help from CFHD.
Or you can listen instead.
CFHD accepts referrals from:
- parents and carers
- doctors
- healthcare professionals
- some school staff
- young people aged 16 to 17 years
Usually, you don’t have to go to your regular doctor (GP) to ask for help from CFHD. The only time you might need to see your GP is if your child needs physiotherapy support. In that case, you’ll have to ask your GP or paediatrician to send a request to CFHD for you.
How to make a referral yourself
To make a referral you will need to download and fill in one or more forms and answer questions about what you need help with. Your answers will give our clinical specialists the essential information they need.
It helps if you can give us as much detailed information as possible, such as:
- how long the difficulties have lasted
- how they affect day-to-day life
- other relevant experiences
You may need to share information from a doctor, nurse, other healthcare professional, or school SENCO (Special Educational Needs Coordinator).
Before filling in the referral form
Allow yourself plenty of time to answer all the questions.
You might find it helpful to gather all the information you’ll need before you start. This includes:
- GP name, address and phone number
- Nursery, school or college address and phone number
It also helps if you know the child or young person’s NHS number. If you don’t know it, you can use the Find your NHS number tool.
You may also need to:
- provide information about any existing diagnoses
- describe what you’ve already tried and what helps
- give details of any professionals already involved with the child or young person
- ask your school, doctor or other professionals for specific information
- ask for consent from the young person being referred, or from parents/carers