Services provided by the department
This service provides a rapid referral for children who have been seen by their GP and who require an urgent opinion from a paediatrician but not necessarily hospital admission. This clinic will allow ill children to be seen by a paediatrician very promptly, avoid attendance to A&E and, in some admissions, to hospital.
RAC is currently a once a week out-patient clinic run by a Paediatric Registrar under the supervision of a Consultant. General Practitioners access the RAC by discussing the case with the Paediatric Registrar (or Attending Consultant). The child is seen in the next available slot. We expect to see all children booked into the RAC within a week. After the child has been seen, a letter is given to parents and one sent to the referring GP.
Referral Criteria
Children who need early assessment and can’t wait for a routine out-patient appointment.
Exclusion Criteria
Children with acute illness will be seen in Paediatric.
Who Can Refer?
GPs (no Choose & Book facility available)
Diagnostics
Children seen in RAC will have access to:
- Pathology
- Imaging
- ECG and Echo
How is a referral made?
- GPs have all the relevant details for the referral pathway
- Referral will be made directly to the Children’s out-patient department.
- All referrals will be made via the Paediatric Registrar.
- Children will be booked into the next available RAC and parents will be informed by the Paediatric out-patient reception staff.
- Once children have been seen in the RAC, their GP and parents will be sent a discharge letter. Follow-up appointments will be arranged as necessary.
