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Transitioning from Children’s Health to Adult Health Services - Transition Guide

Health care given to an adult can feel different for you and your family.  This is compared to the care you get in Children's services.

This is because:

  • not all young people will need their healthcare to be moved from the Children’s Hospital to Sheffield’s adult hospital. For many, leaving the specialist children’s services will mean discharge.  They would then get support from their GP. The GP will refer into adult specialist services if they need extra support. Discharge means you will no longer be a patient of that service.
  • from age 16 you, not the parent, make the decisions. This is unless mental capacity is an issue. You can ask family members or others to help in this.
  • the GP has a more active role in arranging healthcare for adults. They can see the different parts of medical care you are getting and can help with any concerns.

Being discharged from the Children’s Hospital does not mean a young person is not accessing a service. There is plenty that can be done to continue to support your healthcare needs in the adult world.

5 cartoon characters, one is in a wheelchair

If your healthcare is being transferred to an adult service

Some services offer transition clinics.  Staff from children’s and adult health services work together to do this.

Health Transitions documentation

Many families find it helpful to keep a child’s medical paperwork together through the transitions process.

Click on the drop down options below to find out more.

These are helpful documents for a health professional.  It helps them to understand your medical and other needs when you go to a clinic or in an emergency.

These are particularly beneficial if you have a learning disability. It also takes the pressure off you and your parent/carer to have to explain this in an emergency.

Click the button below to download.

Blue rectangle with text that says health passport

This should be completed between services, but you can request a copy.

These help your health workers talk about what to expect when you start to become an adult.  This is from as early as 11 years.  They help you feel more ready and confident about moving into the next phase of your healthcare.

These are available on the Ready, Steady, Go website in English and other languages.  There is also an easy read version. Click on the logo below.

green box with text that says ready steady go programme

Keep these safe.  Your service should provide you with lots of information and leaflets at this stage so keep them too.

If you have complex health needs you may need Advanced Healthcare Plans and ResPECT forms.

Speak to your clinician to make sure these are up to date.

In emergencies

From age 16, you should go to the Emergency Department at Northern General Hospital.  Patients aged 16 and over will only be seen in the Emergency Department at Sheffield Children’s Hospital in the following cases:

  • you have ongoing care with a specialist team at Sheffield Children’s Hospital.
  • you have a transition plan for moving to adult services and have follow up appointments planned at Sheffield Children’s Hospital.
  • you have not yet had your first appointment at adult services. Once you have attended an appointment at adult services you will be discharged from Sheffield Children’s Hospital. In an emergency, you would then attend the Adult Emergency Department.

This is unless you are a CAMHS patient. You should go to the adult emergency department from 16 years and above if this is the case.

If you have questions about where you should go in an emergency, contact your specialist team.

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In this section

  1. Introduction to the Transition Guide
  2. Preparing for Adulthood
  3. Sheffield's Local Offer
  4. What happens and when - Early Years (age 0-4)
  5. What happens and when - Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 (age 5-7)
  6. What happens and when - Year 3, Year 4, Year 5 and Year 6 (age 7-11)
  7. What happens and when - Year 7 and Year 8 (age 11-13)
  8. What happens and when - Year 9 (age 13-14)
  9. What happens and when - Year 10 (age 14-15)
  10. What happens and when - Year 11 (Age 15-16)
  11. What happens and when - Year 12 (age 16-17)
  12. What happens and when - Years 13 and 14 (Age 17-19)
  13. What happens and when - Age 19-25
  14. Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plans - Transition Guide
  15. Education, Employment and Training - GCSEs and Help in Exams - Transition Guide
  16. Post 16 Education - Transition Guide
  17. A Guide to Qualifications at 16+ - Transition Guide
  18. Apprenticeships and Supported Internships - Transition Guide
  19. Things to do when not in college - Transition Guide
  20. University and Higher Education - Transition Guide
  21. Careers Advice - Transition Guide
  22. 1) Help with finding and keeping a job - Transition Guide
  23. 2) Help with finding and keeping a job - Transition Guide
  24. 3) Help with finding and keeping a job - Transition Guide
  25. Leisure - Transition Guide
  26. SEN Transport - Transition Guide
  27. Independent Travel Training
  28. Other Travel Support and useful Apps - Transition Guide
  29. Social Care Services - Transition Guide
  30. Moving from Children’s to Adult Social Care Services - Transition Guide
  31. Paying for adult social care - Transition Guide
  32. Getting a carer’s assessment for your parent/carer - Transition Guide
  33. Short Break Services - Transition Guide
  34. Direct payments for social care services - Transition Guide
  35. Housing - Transition Guide
  36. Decision making and mental capacity - Transition Guide
  37. Transitioning from Children’s Health to Adult Health Services - Transition Guide
  38. Annual Health Checks for people with a learning disability - Transition Guide
  39. Important Local NHS Health Services - Transition Guide
  40. Mental Health Services - Transition Guide
  41. 1) Finance and Benefits: Disability Living Allowance, Direct Payments and Appointeeship - Transition Guide
  42. 2) Finance and Benefits: Universal Credit - Transition Guide
  43. 3) Finance and Benefits: 16 to 19 Bursary Fund - Transition Guide
  44. 4) Finance and Benefits: Banking, Wills and Trusts and Child Benefit - Transition Guide
  45. Further help and support - Transition guide