The Third Sector Referral Coordinator team work predominantly in the Allerdale, Carlisle, Copeland and Eden areas (North Cumbria NHS area) promoting the numerous Third Sector Organisations and services to Health and Social Care colleagues.

Referrals to the Third Sector Referral Coordinator Team can only be made by NHS Health or Social Care Staff. If you think that you or a family member would benefit from some additional support from the Third Sector, please ask your Health or Social Care practitioner to make a referral on your behalf and one of our Coordinators will contact you.

If you are a Health or Social Care Practitioner and would like to make a referral to the team on behalf of someone, please use one of the following:

Tel: 07780 090 174
E-mail: pathway0@cumbriacvs.org.uk

 

Read an Evaluation of the Third Sector Referral Coordinator Team: Nurturing Connectivity between the Third Sector and Health Sector, produced in January 2023 by Dr Meghánn Ward, Professor Tom Grimwood and Dr Laura Snell at Health and Society Knowledge Exchange (HASKE), University of Cumbria.

Read an Evaluation of the Third Sector Referral Coordinator Team, produced in February 2022 by Dr Laura Snell, Dr Tom Grimwood and Vicki Goodwin at Health and Society Knowledge Exchange (HASKE), University of Cumbria.

 

Third Sector Referral Coordinator Team (TSRC Team)

Access to information and support can be invaluable to those without family support or links to services available in their community. The TSRC team provide an additional resource for health and social care staff to support people to access and benefit from support from local community and/or national third sector organisations.

The Third Sector Referral Coordinators (TSRC):

• liaise with third sector and community organisations who provide support in North Cumbria to ensure that we have a good understanding of the services available to patients.
• have knowledge and understanding of the support available through national charities and third sector organisations.
• support Health and Adult Social Care teams to understand what the third sector offers in North Cumbria and to source and collate third sector information for use as a resource for Health and Social care staff.
• make direct referrals into local third sector organisations, including our Health and Welfare Telephone Support service partners (see below)

We can take referrals from acute and community hospital discharge teams, all staff teams based within each of the 8 Integrated Care Community Hubs and Adult Social Care in North Cumbria.

Following a referral, individuals receive a holistic assessment telephone call from the TSRC to have a chat about where they feel they could benefit from support. They will ensure that they are given information, guidance, and support to access the wealth of third sector organisations and services across North Cumbria. With consent, this is often via a direct referral to the organisation.

Examples of the support the TSRC team have assisted people to access include:

• Applying for benefits
• Debt advice and support
• Coping with bereavement
• Housing information, advice, and direct support with housing issues
• Social isolation
• Carer support
• Accessing local grants and financial support
• Employment advice

 

Health and Welfare Telephone Support Service

The Health and Welfare Telephone Support Service is an established service, developed in partnership with NCIC NHS Trust.

We are working in partnership with Age UK Carlisle & Eden, Age UK West Cumbria, Alzheimer’s Society, Carlisle & Eden Carers, Cumbria CVS, People First and West Cumbria Carers to help safeguard and support patients on discharge from hospital, or anytime the patient may benefit from third sector input.

Through a series of up to 5 telephone calls we will:

• Identify and address health and social concerns
• Link and/or refer patients and their carers to ongoing community support
• Support them to navigate health and social care services
• Keep clinical staff updated about issues and outcomes

It is different to many of the befriending and “check and chat” type services currently being offered by local community groups. It is not just a social/support call but a structured mechanism to help people needing professional support from experienced organisations embedded in their local communities, who have a good knowledge of health and care services in their locality.

 

How to refer into the service:

If you would like to have a chat about making a referral, please contact:

TSRC Team Admin & Data officer: 07780 090 174

Alternatively, you can e-mail us on pathway0@cumbriacvs.org.uk with the patient’s NHS number and a brief outline of the patient’s circumstances and we will ensure that it is referred to the appropriate member of staff. We have honorary contracts with NCIC, are authorised to discuss patient information with clinical staff and will manage patient information appropriately.