Way In is another name for referral. We call it “Way In” because it is like an entrance that you come through to see us. It is where and how we decide who to help. As it is not possible for us to help everyone, we offer our specialist expertise to those people we are most able to help and benefit. Every person we cannot do something for is guided to somewhere else, such as another part of the health service, that is able to help them.

Why are we not able to help everyone we hear you ask! It is a good question and the answer is not that easy to give. Broadly speaking there are two parts to the answer.

Firstly, Way In is only able to offer expert help to people with a learning disability. The guidance that Way In follows to draw this line, which comes from diagnostic criteria from the medical profession and also from policy documents produced by the Department of Health, is what is called ‘eligibility’.

According to the Department of Health (DH) learning disability includes the presence of:

• a significantly reduced ability to understand new or complex information, to learn new skills (impaired intelligence), with;

• a reduced ability to cope independently (impaired social functioning);

• which started before adulthood, with a lasting effect on development

Secondly, Way In will only offer expert help to people with learning disability if a) Essex Learning Disability Partnership has the skills and resources to meet their needs; and b) there is not another service elsewhere with the necessary or perhaps even better skills and resources, including those available in all the services for the general population (for example mental health services, epilepsy services and dementia services).

Should other more appropriate services suit a person’s needs better – for example from alternative services in health or social care, or any other appropriate services like those in the voluntary sector - Way In will organise guided support for that person to access them.

In summary, to receive specialist input from Essex Learning Disability Partnership you need to be both eligible for a service and have needs that are appropriate for specialist learning disability health support.

You can access Way In by completing our referral form which can be found below.

Please save it to your computer and then once completed, e-mail it to: eldp.wayinreferrals@nhs.net