Access to information and support can be invaluable to those without family support or links to services available in their community. The Third Sector Referral Coordinator (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 TSRC Team work across the former Allerdale, Carlisle, Copeland and Eden areas taking referrals from acute and community hospital discharge teams, all staff teams working within each of the 8 Integrated Care Communities (ICCs) and Adult Social Care (ASC) in North Cumbria NHS area.

 

The Team

• 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 local and national 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 (further details of this service are noted further down this page)

Following a referral, individuals receive a holistic assessment telephone call from the TSRC team to discuss potential support they could benefit from. They will ensure the individual is 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 appropriate third sector organisation.

Some 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 (HWTSS)

The HWTSS is an established service, developed in partnership with NCIC NHS Trust and working in partnership with Age UK Carlisle & Eden, Alzheimer’s Society, Carer Support Carlisle & Eden, People First and Carer Support West Cumbria 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 one of the above HWTSS partners 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 Third Sector Referral Co-ordinator Team

Referrals to the TSRC 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.

To make a referral to the team on behalf of someone, please E-mail: pathway0@cumbriacvs.org.uk with the information below:

• Name
• Address
• D.O.B
• Telephone number(s)
• NHS Number (if you have this)
• An indication that the person has given consent to the referral to our Team.
• A brief outline of the person’s needs. If goals/outcomes that the person is hoping to achieve have been identified with staff, it can be helpful to have this information to help guide the telephone consultation.
• Any important notes to flag for our team

IMPORTANT TO NOTE: All members of the TSRC Team have honorary contracts with NCIC, are authorised to discuss patient information with clinical staff and will manage patient information appropriately.

 

Background information

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.