The children’s community medical service supports children and young people with a wide range of health needs. These include neuro-disability, complex medical or genetic conditions linked with developmental delay, social and communication difficulties, and safeguarding concerns.
Our work includes:
managing the care of children with long-term conditions, disabilities and complex needs, such as cerebral palsy
diagnosing and managing epilepsy linked to developmental difficulties
running a movement clinic, including Botulinum Toxin Treatment, and seeing children in specialist clinics such as genetics, neurology, orthopaedics and feeding, at child development centres across the county
providing a neuromuscular clinic with community and respiratory paediatricians
assessing children under 11 years old for possible Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
assessing the health needs of children in care, including those going through adoption and initial health checks for looked after children
carrying out statutory work such as child protection and safeguarding
setting up shared care arrangements with other professionals involved in a child’s care
completing assessments for children who need an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan and are under our service
managing ADHD for some children with complex medical, developmental or genetic conditions.
You and your child may be seen by community consultant paediatricians, specialty doctors, junior doctors or a nurse practitioner.
Contact the children's community medical team
Children's community medical team (West)
Child Development Centre, Hospital Road, Bury St Edmunds, IP33 3ND
We will listen to the concerns you may have about your child and ask questions about his or her health and development. Your child’s development will be assessed. Usually, the child or young person will need to be physically examined.
Any identified problems will be discussed with you and a management plan will be made regarding appropriate investigations or assessment and diagnostic pathways to be followed.
Part of your child’s assessment may involve accessing information from their educational setting.
Children and young people with active on-going medical problems are reviewed to support management of their conditions according to their specific needs.
General Practitioners (GPs)
Hospital medical practitioners
School nurses
Health visitors
Allied Health Professionals
Your child will be seen in local community clinics, children’s centres and occasionally at school.
We aim to see all children and young people within 18 weeks of their referral date.
The medical service is unable to accept referrals for children of any age with the following problems:
Suspected Autism Spectrum Disorder in children over 11 years.
Assessment of cognitive skills and education attainment in school aged children.
New referrals for Suspected ADHD
Educational problems such as dyslexia or dyscalculia.
Dyspraxia/Development Co-ordination Disorder.
Isolated behaviour problems or general anxiety.
Children with behaviour problems which are due to social and family difficulties.
Delayed toilet training.
Constipation and soiling.
Children with sleep difficulties where there is no underlying neurodevelopmental difficulty.
We welcome your comments, compliments and suggestions.
If you have any queries or concerns with any aspect of your child's care that cannot be resolved with your clinician please contact the team leader.
