Referrals for the Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) nurse practitioner are received from our colleagues in the Community Learning Disability Team (CLDT).
Two systems are in place:
- For newly referred clients to the team the senior health care co-ordinator will carry out a single shared assessment and determine, using the ASD nurse practitioner referral criteria, if there is a requirement for further ASD assessment.
- For clients already open to the team, colleagues may identify a requirement for ASD nurse practitioner input and again applying our referral criteria will “Inter team refer”.
The ASD nurse practitioner will then undertake an assessment (applied in same manner for both referral pathways) and will determine care aims and develop a care plan for continuing care.
Clients will be discharged from ASD nurse practitioner care when the identified care aims have been achieved or in some instances when it has been determined that ASD nurse practitioner input is of no more assistance to that individual.