Medical alert process
This leaflet gives you information about a system we use in the hospital to alert professionals that a patient has a specific need.
What is a medical alert?
An alert is a way of making sure that important information about the patient is quickly accessible to staff. In your child’s or young person’s case, the important information is that they have a learning disability. The alert is added to the computerised registration systems used in the hospital.
When the patient’s details are looked at by staff, a message box appears with details of the alert, for example ‘Learning Disability’.
Comments are also added, such as ‘management plan in folder’ or ‘consider reasonable adjustments for this patient’.
An alert sticker is also added to the patient’s medical notes. For children with learning disabilities, the alert sticker is put on the cover of the notes and inside the cover a note will be made that reads:
Learning Disability (LD), consider reasonable adjustments, refer to LD liaison nurses.
What does the alert sticker mean for my child?
The alert sticker is a way of telling staff (medical, nursing, administrative, and other professionals such as physiotherapists) in all wards and departments that your child may need adjustments to be made in order for their needs to be met while they are in hospital.
It also reminds staff to inform the Learning Disability liaison nurse of your child’s admission so that they can provide advice and support to you, your child and hospital staff.
If you do not wish to see the LD liaison nurse, you do not have to, please let a member of staff know.
Who puts the alerts on the records/notes and what happens if I am not happy to give consent?
The hospital Learning Disability liaison nurses put the alerts on the notes and makes sure that they are added to the hospital computer systems. The alert will only be put on your child’s notes and computer systems if your child has a diagnosed learning disability and if you consent to it.
We strongly recommend this alert is added to your child’s records as it does help to make sure that staff recognise that adjustments may have to be made to meet your child’s needs.
Contact information
If you would like further information, please contact:
Learning Disability Liaison Nurses
Tel: 0300 422 4953
Tel: 0300 422 4985
Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 5:00pm