How Well Do We Achieve SAFER Referrals?

How Well Do We Achieve SAFER Referrals?

Author Info

Corresponding Author
Laura Awad
Plastic Surgery Department, James Cook University Hospital, South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Marton Road, Middlesbrough

A B S T R A C T

Aims: Assess the completion of Situation, Assessment, Family, Expected Response, and Recording (SAFER) referrals for paediatric dog bites under 5yrs, and burns with clinical suspicion at a trauma centre. It is a document used to communicate concern with the LSCB (Local Safeguarding Children’s Board). Method: Data was collated from e-records and case notes during 1/1/18-30/10/2018. The LSCB and hospital safeguarding team do not hold databases with information regarding these referrals. Results: 81 were seen by Plastic Surgery with dog bites. 33 were children (40.74%). 18/81 were 5yrs or less at presentation (22.2%); 8/18 referrals were completed (44.4%). For one a referral was deemed inappropriate because the bite was sustained from a stranger's dog. 164 paediatric burns were reviewed. 7/164 (4.3%) raised suspicion and 6/7 had referrals (85.7%). Discussion: Fewer referrals were made for dog bites. Possibly due to lack of awareness of guidelines, poor availability of forms or ambiguity regarding responsibility. Referrals sent for burns were better perhaps because of a perceived greater risk assigned to this injury or because the workload was monitored by a single clinical lead with knowledge of the pathway. Data collection was difficult due to multiple recording methods, which may cause clinical errors. Solutions could include staff education, clear guidelines within departments with easy access to forms, or added checklists. Conclusion: Referrals were not completed often enough with several areas of improvement. There are easy steps that can be implemented which could lead to increased effectiveness of our communication and standard of care.

Article Info

Article Type
Case Report
Publication history
Received: Fri 18, Oct 2019
Accepted: Fri 15, Nov 2019
Published: Mon 30, Dec 2019
Copyright
© 2023 Laura Awad. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Hosting by Science Repository.
DOI: 10.31487/j.SCR.2019.06.01