The team is able to deliver vital treatment and medication to children in their own homes.
A Northern Ireland mum says the region’s first prescribing children’s complex needs team has been “a lifeline” for her family.
The community-based paediatric care team is able to deliver vital treatment and medication to children in their own homes.
This pioneering approach by the South Eastern Trust allows children with complex medical and nursing needs to receive timely assessments, treatment and prescribed medication without the distress and risk of unnecessary hospital visits.
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By bringing expert care directly into the home, children can stay where they are most comfortable and best supported.
The multi-disciplinary children’s complex needs team is made up of community children’s nurses, physiotherapists, speech and language therapists and occupational therapists, all working closely together to provide wrap-around care tailored to each child and family.
Five-year-old Jake McConkey from Dunmurry, is one of the children supported by the team. Born with a global developmental impairment and complex health needs, Jake has required ongoing specialist care from a very young age.
Over the past year, he has experienced increased seizures alongside respiratory and gastrointestinal issues, resulting in frequent hospital admissions. However, thanks to the Children’s Complex Needs Team, much of Jake’s care can now be delivered at home.
Jake’s mum, Lindsay explained: “Jake was diagnosed with a missing chromosome 15, epilepsy, respiratory issues and complex developmental needs. The children’s complex needs team is brilliant.
“If I need supplies, advice or someone to come out and check Jake, I can ring them anytime. They have saved us so many trips to the hospital.”
Lindsay says the reassurance of knowing support is always just a phone call away has made an enormous difference: “I do not panic anymore because I know I can phone them at any time with questions and sometimes I have a lot of questions!
“They talk me through things, come out when needed and always put my mind at ease. They are like part of our family now.”
One of the most unique aspects of the service is its physiotherapy-led respiratory care. Within the Team are two specialist physiotherapists who are the first in Northern Ireland to prescribe medication to children in their own homes.
Specialist paediatric physiotherapist, Lynsey Cunningham added: “Within the children’s complex needs team we support children right across respiratory care, motor skills and neurodevelopment. For children like Jake, respiratory management at home is crucial.
“Myself and a colleague have both completed prescribing qualifications, meaning we can assess a child in their home and prescribe treatments such as antibiotics or mucolytics straight away.
“This allows us to manage infections quickly and safely at home, working closely with nursing colleagues and consultants, while reducing the need for GP or hospital visits, where these children are more vulnerable to additional infections.”
Lynsey says relationships are at the heart of the service: “Relationships with families are key. Parents need to know that when they pick up the phone, we are there, we aim to see children the same day or next day where possible.
“We empower parents to manage symptoms at home, while ensuring hospital care is accessed when it is truly needed.”
Community children’s nursing sister, Karen Moffatt says the service plays a vital role in supporting the whole family: “Our role is to assess the child’s nursing needs and provide practical, emotional and clinical support. Families can phone us with a query and we will give advice or visit the home.
“We work closely with physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists and hospital teams to make sure care continues seamlessly in the community.
“Keeping children at home is so important. Many families have other children, work commitments and complex routines. Being able to provide care at home prevents unnecessary hospital admissions and keeps family life as stable as possible.”
The children’s complex needs team’s main objective is to remove barriers and reduce stress for parents by delivering integrated care in the child’s own environment.
Through advanced prescribing skills, strong multidisciplinary working and relationships, the team continues to make a real difference to some of the most vulnerable children and their families.
Lindsay added: “The team gives 100% support. I honestly do not know what we would do without them.”
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