Refused a referal what do I do now?

[neverputasockinatoaster]

Hi,

Ds is 6.5. He's probably on the Autistic Spectrum somewhere. People have mentioned Asbergers and/or PDA. I've had my head in the sand a lot but he has been having more and more problems at school and after a meeting with his teacher I was advised to seek help from my GP.

I toddled along to my GP as advised and he was very sympathetic, listened, gave me some advice and said he would refer DS to the community paed. I have just received a copy of the letter and he has been refused a referral because he goes to school in a different county. I suspected that this might happen as it happened in nursery when they wanted Inclusion support to be involved as they were having problems with his behaviour. Inclusion support in the county he goes to school in refused to be involved as he lived in county x and county x refused to be involved as he went to school in county y. They spent weeks arguing with each other until they reached a compromise where county x observed him and agreed he needed support and then paid county y to provide the support.

My GP's surgery is mystified and are not sure where to go or what to do so I thought I'd ask the collective wisdom of MN to see if anyone had a similar experience or and ideas as to what I do now? (other than cry, swear and stamp my feet). I had been feeling better as I had admitted we had a problem and we were on the path to getting some help and advice.

Is it worth seeking a private diagnosis? Should I just spend all my money on books from that famous online bookseller? Should we move?

He goes to school 'out of county' because I work 'out of county' and the 2 counties have very different holiday patterns and I'd never see him!

it doesnt matter where his school is!! Cheeky buggers. health care covers where he lives, so call them up and tellt hem you want his seen ASAP and jis choice in education is nothing to do with his access to health services. You are asking for an assessment, nit for them to provide suport (yet anyways)

So what would they do if he was home-schooled? Refuse antibiotics on that basis?

What a load of twaddle.

lisa123 is right - with health care it shouldn't matter where he goes to school, it's just the home address that matters. It might help if you can find out from other local parents of children with ASD what their diagnostic route was - e.g. if there's a particular child development centre or a named paed you could be referred to instead of the community paed. A community paed isn't a specialist so they'd probably have to refer you on to a specialist team anyway, so it would be better to ask to go straight to the specialists if you can.

You could contact the PALS service for the clinic where the paed is based - I'm not sure how effective that would be.

DS went to school in a different county and we had the same mess regarding funding for outreach services. It was much easier when he finally got his statement and it was clearer that our home borough had to pay. At SA+ budgets are a bit more blurred so it's easier for the school/LA to pass the buck.

don't go private just because of that, they really are trying it on. and sympathies - our nearest school is in another borough, so I didn't want to send him there in case of any stupid arguments re:SALT (school wasn't v good anyway so not a great sacrifice, fortunately). I'ld try PALs as well

Dd3's GP is in a different borough from where all her referrals have been done, I think they are trying it on.

We can't access a paed where we live or where DD goes to school as our GP is over the borough border, and we have to use the community paed there. I have requested to be seen in our area of residence as I don't like the paed where the GP is, but short of changing GP (not an option for a lot of reasons) then we simply have no choice and have had to put up with her.

I would contact PALS in the area where the GP is and see what they have to say.

I went through this as my lad's first school is 50 yards over the lea borough border (rolls eyes). Go back to the GP and DEMAND and assessment. It's standard practice in my neck of the woods to do this as it allows the authorities to delay doing anything for a couple of years (only know this through literally meeting more than one local Mum in floods of tears in the street over this "living on the border" issue). It's common practice. Keep hassling, don't give up and you'll get there in the end.

Thank you. I have rung the Gp and spoken to his secretary who is mystified. The GP himself is off now for the Easter Break and of course everything is closed. The GP hadn't even had the letter but I got a copy of it!

The Secretary has promised me that as soon as the GP gets back (there are lots of DRs in our practice but he's the one that deals with children's behaviour etc) then we will find out exactly WHY he's been refused an assessment with our local team. Then we will do some ass kicking between us.

I knew it wasn't on, Thanks MN for assuring me I wasn't mad!

You shouldnt hve to go private because the two counties cant work out who should be seeing your DS. There must be some precedent for dealing with this situation in your areas. If I was the GP I would be referring to county Y (if they paid for his support previously that indicates that they may have some responsibility), and in the referral letter asking that if county Y refuse then X and Y need to sort it out between them. This really shouldnt be your problem.

You can always go to the health service ombudsman if they don't sort the referral now, or threaten to do so anyway.