What and where is the PAT Centre?
We are aPre-school Assessment and Therapy team based at the Royal United Hospital in Bath. We are based in Children’s Outpatients Zone B, department 11 near car park P3
We work together as a team to get to know the child and their family, to gain a clearer understanding of their strengths and needs. We have the time, space and specialist expertise to work with families to help their child achieve their best potential.
We aim to support and empower parents to manage the care of their child and remain the ‘expert’ in their child’s care. To achieve this parents/carers have to be present at all appointments.
Who are we?
We are a highly specialist team which includes Physiotherapists, Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Therapy Support Workers, Dieticians, Paediatriciansand administrative staff.
We work together to minimise the number of appointments that families are asked to attend, and to quickly formulate a coordinatedtherapy plan.
We work closely with staff at any Early Years settings attended by the child.
Who could be referred?
A child from birth to school entry age with a combinationof the following difficulties that needs a coordinated assessment and therapy plan to help the child’s ongoing development in the community:-
- A physical disability
- Genetic or metabolic disorder
- Complex feeding difficulties
- Speech and language difficulties
- Visual impairment
- Hearing impairment
- Children presenting with complex difficulties who do not yet have a diagnosis
- Sensory difficulties
- Autism/Social Communication difficulties.
Who can refer?
After gaining parental consent any professional that may have a concern about a child, can refer. Referrers typically include Paediatricians, GPs, Health Visitors, Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists, Speech and Language Therapists, Teachers for the visually impaired or hearing impaired. We are happy to discuss children with other professionals that are not included in this list.
How to refer
All referrals must be made using the PAT Centre Referral form, preferably in electronic format. Forms can be obtained from the department secretary; see contact details on the back of this leaflet.
Transport links and costs
Travelling to the RUHmay be a struggle with small children.See the RUH website for travel links via the Patient Guide
Patients from Wiltshire may callConnect 2 Wiltshire (tel 01985 212213) for transport advice.
Families that claim certain benefits may get travel costs reimbursed.
How do we work?
Once a referral has been accepted,the family are offered a Screening Assessment which may lead to further specialist assessments with individual therapists. A report is then written summarising the child’s strengths and needs and contains a multidisciplinary therapy plan.
If appropriate the child will be offered a series of therapy sessions in the PAT Centre with one of our Therapy Support Workers. This provides 1:1 support for parents/carers and aims to empower them in the care of their child.We provide intensive bursts of therapy with the aim of improving the child’s skills.
Sometimes we will offer support in the form of small group work e.g. ‘Food is Fun’.
Families may also be offered assessment appointments to enable provision of specialist equipment for use in settings and/or at home.