What Is This Guidance For?

If staff have any immediate worries about the extent of a child’s injury, they should take urgent action, consulting with others should not cause a delay where a child has suffered a trauma or is in a potentiallylife threatening condition.

What is this guidance for?

This guidance has been produced to ensure that there is not a delay in accessing emergency medical assessment and care where a child has, or is suspected to have, sustained a trauma which needs urgent access to medical care. Examples of this could be suspected fractures, open wounds, blows to the head, scalds, burns and ingestion. This list is not exhaustive.

In the first instance the social worker and the Children Protection Coordinator should discuss the request for a child protection medical booking, as stated below. During this discussion consideration should be given to whether or not the injuries to the child can wait until the next available CP medical slot. However, if the course of action cannot be agreed this should then be discussed between the DCST Team Manager and the on call Paediatrician in order that a joint decision can be made of where the child’s medical needs will be appropriately met. These discussionsshould always form part of the strategy meeting.

In all instances there is an expectation of the social worker who is attending hospital to provide as much background information as possible about the child and family. For example, if you do not know the child you should access the child’s electronic records prior to presentation at the hospital.

In Hours:(9am-5pm, Monday – Friday) the social worker should ring The Child Protection Medical Coordinators / Secretaries, Beverly Jones 01302 642300 or Debbie Gregory 01302 642297(Switch board is available on 01302 366666). The social worker should request a Child Protection Medical. This is a clinic setting and slots are available at either 1pm or 3pm, however booking for an appointment slot should be made at the earliest opportunity. Thesocial worker should always email or fax the ‘Social Work Referral for Paediatric Medical’form to or fax 01302 747276 (both are secure).

Out of Hours (5pm-9am, Weekends and Bank Holidays):Please contact the on call Paediatrician via the Doncaster Royal Infirmary Switch board on 01302 366666 for advice.

NB: Consent from a person with parental responsibility must be obtained for the Child Protection Medical (or from a young person who is Fraser Competent) and consideration needs to be given to making the experience as comfortable as possible for the child or young person without jeopardising any investigation. If parents refuse to consent, then consideration may need to be given to applying for a Child Assessment Order.

NB: Remember if you have any immediate worries about the extent of a child’s injury, you should take urgent action, consulting with others should not cause a delay where a child has suffered a trauma or a potentially life threatening condition.