Statement 7

• Self referral


  Involves a person directly requesting or purchasing a care service in person for themselves e.g. ringing up to make themselves an appointment
• Professional referral


  Occurs when a health or social care professional refers a person who has come to see them, to another health and social care professional e.g. from GP to consultant/psychiatrist
• Third party referral


  Occurs when a person (not care professional) applies for a care service on behalf of someone else e.g. a family member contacting a professional
• Emergency referral


  Provides an emergency social work response across all of Northern Ireland on an out of hour's basis
• Recall


  • Provides a recall service users where they are asked to come back for a follow-up appointment e.g. asked to come back for a follow up appointment
• Compulsory referral


  In the most extreme cases as with the very ill, the vey old or the very young, people may be able to make a reasonable decision about their own health
• Doctors must choose to overrule the rights of the individuals and force them to undergo treatment/attend appointment
• Who can make a compulsory referral

  • GP
  • Social worker
  • Psychiatrist
  • Nearest relative
  • Hospital doctor
  • Hospital nurse
  • PSNI
  • Ambulance personnel
  • Responsible medical officer
  • Mental health nurse
• Compulsory referral


  Detained for own safety/sanctioning
• Emergency referral

  It can be used for children, young people and older people with mental illness, families and carers of children, young people and older people with mental illness e.g.

  • there are safety concerns that a child has suffered, or is likely to suffer significant harm
  • families and carers have serious and immediate concerns in relation to an adult with mental health issue’s safety
  • there are concerns about the safety of a vulnerable older adult. E.g. Ambulance service taking an individual to A&E