Training activity information
Details
Receive and process referrals for the following areas:
- Newborn hearing screening programme
- Paediatrics
- Adults
- Vestibular
Type
Developmental training activity (DTA)
Evidence requirements
Evidence the activity has been undertaken by the trainee.
Reflection on the activity at one or more time points after the event including learning from the activity and/or areas of the trainees practice for development.
An action plan to implement learning and/or to address skills or knowledge gaps identified.
Considerations
- Organisation and funding of local services.
- Local and national commissioning pathways
- Local patient pathways
- Wait times
- Standard operating procedures
- Governance
- Prioritisation
- Clinical guidelines
Reflective practice guidance
The guidance below is provided to support reflection at different time points, providing you with questions to aid you to reflect for this training activity. They are provided for guidance and should not be considered as a mandatory checklist. Trainees should not be expected to provide answers to each of the guidance questions listed.
Before action
- What are the standard referral processes and documentation requirements for each area?
- Who are the key contacts or teams involved in receiving and processing these referrals?
- Are there specific protocols or guidelines you need to be aware of?
- Have you reviewed the relevant local referral guidelines or policies?
In action
- Pay attention to the specific steps you are taking to receive and process each referral. Are you following established protocols?
- What information are you prioritising and recording? Why are you processing each referral in this particular way?
- Are you encountering any difficulties in locating necessary information or completing the required steps for each referral type?
- Are there any aspects of the process that are taking longer than expected?
- Are there differences in the referral documentation or processes for the Newborn hearing screening programme, Paediatrics, Adults, and Vestibular referrals?
- Are you adjusting your approach based on the type of referral?
- Are you paying attention to specific information to determine whether a referral is routine or urgent?
On action
- Consider the different types of referrals you processed. What were the key pieces of information included in each type of referral (Newborn hearing screening programme, Paediatrics, Adults, Vestibular)? Were there any similarities or key differences in the referral documentation or processes for each area? Did you notice any areas where information was consistently clear or unclear?
- What did you learn about the referral pathways for each of these audiology service areas? Did you develop a better understanding of the information required to effectively process referrals? Were there any challenges you encountered, and what did you learn from overcoming them (or identifying the need for support)? How does this process contribute to the overall patient journey?
- What actions or ‘next steps’ will you take to improve your understanding or efficiency in processing referrals? Are there any specific areas (e.g., a particular referral type or a piece of information) that you need to learn more about? What support or resources might you need to further develop in this area?
Beyond action
- Looking back at when you first processed referrals, and considering any subsequent experiences with referrals in different modules or settings, how has your understanding of the different referral pathways evolved?
- Have you noticed any common threads or differences in the referral information required across these areas?
- How has your initial experience of processing these varied referrals influenced your efficiency and accuracy in handling referrals now?
- Can you identify specific skills (e.g., attention to detail, understanding of different service needs) that were developed or strengthened through this early activity and are now part of your routine?
Relevant learning outcomes
| # | Outcome |
|---|---|
| # 1 |
Outcome
Describe the commissioning framework for audiology services. |