Children’s Rapid Assessment and Follow Up Team (CRAFT)

What Does Our Service Do?

The Children’s rapid assessment and follow-up team are a team of four experienced paediatric nurses.

We take referrals from GP’s, the A&E department and children’s admissions unit for children with mild to moderate episodes of an acute minor illness. Our aim is to avoid children being admitted to hospital wherever possible and safe to do so by providing observation, clinical reviews and education and support for the child and family in their own home.

The service currently operates seven days per week from 10am -8pm.

How Does Our Service Work?

The service will deliver a telephone call to the family two hours from referral, with a visit being made within four hours if required.

The service offers:

Family support
Clinical assessment/nursing observations
Plan of home care for parents
Medication advice
Fever management
Fluid management and re assessment
Respiratory assessment
Can admit into hospital if required or arrange open access to Children’s Assessment ward at Leicester Royal Infirmary
Our nurses can also prescribe if required

Our service has four qualified Children’s Nurses and we can see up to eight children per day in their own home along with many other children on telephone support only.

In the winter time we can take up to 60-70 referrals in one month reducing to 30-50 in the summer time.

The service is delivered from:

The team are based at Bridge Park plaza Monday to Friday, Merlyn Vaz at the weekends.
We see children in their own homes
The service is Currently only available in the city