PROVIDE CLEAR INFORMATION ABOUT A SERVICE
Referral Guide
The Referral guide better equips people to make a referral to services by understanding how to do it correctly and effectively. It provides a good example of a filled referral/assessment form with tips highlighted by the screeners.
When to use
Use the referral guide to provide guidance in filling out a referral to avoid inappropriately completed referrals and reduce back and forth between services and the referrer.
Impact
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Reduces time spent to make a referral and reduces back and forth between screeners and referrers.
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Reduces improperly filled and incomplete referrals
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Allows support to be activated quicker
How to use
Pick an improper referral/assessment and highlight what was missing or improper in it.
Pick a good referral/assessment you received and highlight why it was filled properly.
Depending on the way the referral is made, compile this information for referrers to look at as a guide. Examples:
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Form - On an empty referral/assessment form, write down the instructions and tips on the blank fields with a different colour. Make it available in the same place the form can be found;
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Website - Write down the instructions and tips in a document and make it available to view before starting the referral process.
Examples
Targeted Early Help in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham is using the Referral Guide to provide guidance to safeguarding teams in schools to fill in a referral and assessment.
Related patterns