Community paediatrics referrals

We only accept referrals for patients aged 0-18 years old who are registered with a GP practice in Southwark or Lambeth. Please see a postcode checker to ensure your child has a GP in Lambeth or Southwark. 

Please consider referral if a child or young person has:

• Delays in more than one area of development
  (for example: speech and language, movement, learning, social interaction or self care skills)
• Loss of previously gained skills
  (for example: stopping talking, walking, or interacting as they used to)
• New or worsening problems with sleep or feeding in children who already have developmental or additional needs
• Concerns about a possible developmental condition or physical disability (for example: autism, ADHD, cerebral palsy, developmental coordination disorder)

We take referrals from:

• GPs in Southwark or Lambeth
• schools
• therapists
• community nurses
• social services
• parents of children who have already been seen by us

Please include clear examples of differences with social communication and social interaction – these are essential when considering if a child is autistic.

Examples of differences with social communication:

• Difficulties using words, gestures or facial expressions to communicate
• Finding it hard to put words together into sentences
• Repeat words or phrases (sometimes called “echoing”)
• Having an unusual tone of voice or being very loud or quiet
• Have trouble understanding instructions or what is said to them
• Find it hard to have a conversation (back-and-forth talking)
• Talk mainly about their own interests rather than having a shared conversation

Examples of differences with social interaction:

• Difficulty making or keeping friends
• Little interest in playing or interacting with other children
• Differences in eye contact, facial expressions, or body language
• Find it hard to understand or respond to other people’s feelings (for example not offering comfort)

Please note: We are unable to accept referrals for autism assessment where concerns are only about:

• Emotional dysregulation (for example distress, meltdowns)
• Mental health difficulties
• Behaviour that challenges

These referrals will only be accepted if there are also clear social communication and interaction differences.

We can only offer assessments for ADHD in primary school–aged children who are registered with a GP in Lambeth.

If your child does not meet these criteria, please refer to the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS Services - South London and Maudsley) instead if:

• Your child is registered with a GP in Southwark
• Your child attends secondary school in Lambeth
• Your child needs assessment or support with ADHD medication

If you are worried your child may have ADHD, it is helpful to include examples of behaviours such as:

• Finding it hard to stay focused on tasks at home or in the classroom
• Difficulty sitting still or waiting their turn
• Acting without thinking about safety (poor sense of danger)
• Struggling to finish schoolwork or rushing through tasks
• Finding it hard to organise themselves, their belongings, or their work

These examples help us understand how your child is managing day to day and whether an assessment is appropriate.

Please download the relevant referral form:

• Specialist children's services referral form (Word 189KB)
• Children's bladder and bowel clinic referral form (Word 288KB)

Please return the completed form by email to:
gstt.evelinacommunityreferrals@nhs.net

Please signpost all patients to the Evelina London community paediatrics website pages when you make the referral for information about appointments, clinics and reliable useful websites and local services for support whilst we triage the referral:

• Your child's appointment with the community paediatricians
• Useful websites

We look at each referral individually. Sometimes it may be better for a child to be seen by a team in another borough (for example, for education support). If that’s the case, we’ll let the referrer know quickly. Referrals are discussed by our team and passed to the professional best suited to help your child, such as a speech and language therapist or nurse.

1. Referral made – child is referred to community paediatrics by GP, school or health visitor.
2. Referral reviewed – our doctors review the referral at weekly meetings.
3. Decision made – referral is either accepted (child will be added to our waiting list), redirected to a more appropriate department within our community paediatrics team or rejected (feedback will be sent to the referrer).
4. Initial assessment – child attends an appropriate clinic (e.g. developmental clinic, movement assessment clinic, bladder clinic).
5. Next steps – depending on outcome your child will be: referred on to specialist clinics or other services, followed up by our team or discharged from our care.