Referral information

Who can refer?

The Physiotherapy Service accepts referrals from registered healthcare professionals and the Birmingham City Council Schools Physical Support Team (PST).

 

Referrals will be accepted for Developmental and Neurological Concerns in:

• Children aged 0 to 18 living in Birmingham, or have a Birmingham GP or attend a Birmingham school. 

 

Musculoskeletal (MSK) concerns, only in children:

• up to their 14th birthday, who live North of the city centre. Postcodes: B6, B7, B8, B9, B10, B18, B19, B20, B21, B23, B24, B33, B34, B35, B42, B44, B72, B73, B74, B75, B76.
• Children aged 14 years and over in the North, can be referred to the BCHC Adult MSK service.
• All children with an MSK need living in the South of the city require referral to their nearest hospital outpatient Paediatric Physiotherapy Department: The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital or Birmingham Women’s and Children’s Hospital.

 

Referrals will not be accepted for:

• Presentations that are part of variance in normal development, for example. Knock Knees, Bow legs, in-toeing or out-toeing.
• Flat feet: please refer to Podiatry instead.
• Toe walking with probable neurodiverse causes, unless it is accompanied by additional concern.
• Plagiocephaly unless it is accompanied by additional concerns.
• Asymptomatic hypermobility.

 

 

What happens to referrals?

• Referrals received are triaged by physiotherapists to decide whether the CYP (child or young person) meets the criteria for physiotherapy assessment.
   
• If the referral is not accepted, the referrer and family will be informed and if appropriate signposted to relevant information on our webpages as part of our Universal Offer.
   
• If the referral is accepted the family will receive a letter from the Central Booking Service (CBS) to invite them to call to book an available appointment that is most convenient to them. They will then receive an appointment letter detailing the time and venue and the name of therapist that they will see.

• At the initial appointment the child will receive an assessment with a Paediatric Physiotherapist. This will take place in a Local Health Centre in the majority of cases, with parents or carers present.

• Assessment may be carried out in a specialist setting if the child is in a Special School.
   
• Children with very complex needs may be seen at home for their Initial Assessment and for on-going intervention.
   
• Children with musculoskeletal problems will always be seen in a local health centre.

 

Following assessment it will be decided whether the child requires advice, signposting to our Universal Offer resources, future review, or whether they need to be place on the waiting list to receive a ‘package of care’.

 

Children and Families Services Referral Form