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Contents of this webpage:

1. What is transition?
2. How does transition occur?
3. Taking control of your health care
4. What are the differences between child and adult health care services?
5. What other things should I think about?
6. Who can I contact?
7. Clinics available in adult health services

What is transition?

Transition is a process where you and your doctors work together to determine the best place for you to go for your adult care when you leave RCH at the age of 18 years or when you have finished school. This is a co-ordinated process which occurs slowly giving you time to prepare for the move to adult care and develop some independent skills to manage your own health care instead of your parents having all the responsibility. The adult health care system is different to the paediatric health care system and will require you to be more responsible for your own health care, including taking your own medications, getting your own prescriptions and making your own appointments with the hospital. This webpage offers information and resources to prepare for you to transfer to the adult health care system.

How does transition occur?

1. You and your doctor will discuss the transition process and possible places you could transfer to for adult care.
2. You will receive a Transition Information Kit (TIK). This kit has a booklet Information for Young People (PDF) which you can read about what happens when you go to adult health care and a Health Care Skills Checklist (Word) which is a checklist for you to learn to self manage or take charge of your own health care in preparation for the adult health care system.
3. A detailed referral will be sent to the adult hospital identified for your long term care and you will also get a copy of this referral. The adult hospital will then send an appointment to you. Sometimes you may have to make your first appointment.
4. There may be a transition clinic at the Royal Children's Hospital or at the adult hospital which you may be able to attend (not all departments have a transition clinic).
5. You may meet some staff from the adult hospital before an appointment, either through a transition clinic or an arranged visit to the adult hospital.
6. You will have your first appointment at the adult hospital.
7. You may have a final appointment with your RCH doctor after you have been to the adult hospital to finalize any concerns, farewell your doctors and treating team and graduate from RCH to adult care.
8. You will be sent a transition survey to complete before your transition and after your transition to adult care. This will to help us improve our processes and practice. It's a brief and easy survey to complete. Please feel free to click on the link below and complete the survey before and after you have transferred to adult care.

• Patient PRE Transition Questionnaire (Word)
• Patient POST Transition Questionnaire (Word)
  

  

Taking control of your health care

You and your doctor: As you grow up it is important to increase your independence. This means developing the skills and confidence to talk to your doctor on your own. You may like to start by seeing the doctor on your own for part of the consultation. This helps you to understand and manage your condition and to increasingly take more responsibility for self care.

You and your parents or carers: You may notice that your parents are asking you to do more things. They may expect you to take on some additional duties in regards to your care, for example making appointments. It's all in the effort to prepare you for adulthood and even if it may not seem so, sometimes it's extremely difficult for parents to look at their children as adults and give them health care responsibilities.. If you haven't already, try to accept this as a challenge or a natural progression of things.

Medications: Older adolescents have also learnt to be responsible for their own medications. Knowing the name of your medications, why you need them, and how much you need to take is a great start! Taking them without a reminder from a parent or guardian is the next step!

Adolescence and your condition: It is important that you know about your condition and its effect on your growing, changing body. Perhaps there are some questions that you would like to have answered about this.It's important to understand what tests you need to have regularly, why and what the latest results were.

MyHealth Passport: As you grow older, there are some things you will start taking more responsibility for, including being responsible for your own health care and having knowledge and an understanding of your own health care needs. You may like to talk to your team at the hospital about developing your own MyHealth Passport which is a wallet sized document of all your medical information at your finger tips in an emergency or during appointments with another health care professional and you don't want to have to tell your story yet again. It is advisable you create this passport with a doctor or a nurse at the hospital who knows you well so you have correct information on your passport. You are still in charge and must type in the information into the passport yourself. To create your own passport click here on the link MyHealth Passport. If you choose to create a passport on your own you can do so, however the Royal Children's Hospital will not be held responsible for any incorrect information on the passport.It may in fact be helpful to have the health care professionals support you in creating the passport as you may wish to ask them questions about your health and health care history.

What can I do to prepare for transition?

• Become more independent around your health care needs. This includes making your own appointments, having someﾠtime aloneﾠwith your doctor, getting your prescriptions filled and maintaining any medical equipment you need.
• Use Health Care Skills Checklist (Word) to see how you can prepare for Transition
• Become more comfortable communicating with health care professionals, rather than relying on Mum or Dad to do all the talking. Practice asking your doctor questions and answering the ones they have.
• Find out about how adult services are different to child health services. Start to check out the adult services in your area in consultation with your doctor. investigate how you can get there and issues such as parking, where you need to go to attend appointments.
• We really encourage all young people to have a regular family doctor, who they trust and who knows them and knows their family. If you need help finding a GP, take a look at the 'Find a GP' webpage: www.rch.org.au/kidsconnect/gp.cfm

Please feel free to discuss these issues or any other concerns with your doctor at the Royal Children's Hospital. The Care manager and/or care coordinator and other members of the medical, nursing and allied health teams are available to talk to you about this process of transition.ﾠ This discussion can happen at your next clinic appointment or you can contact the department.

What are the differences between child and adult health care services?

There are some noticeable differences between paediatric and adult health care. Despite some little differences, your care and support in the adult hospital should remain the same.

What other things should I think about?

Points to keep in mind when transferring to adult health care services:

• How do I get to the adult hospital?
• Is it easy to access the building safely (especially important if you use mobility aids)?
• You do have the right to 'shop around' as the first service you visit may not be the right one for you.
• What hours are the adult  services open (especially important if you work or study)?
• Do you connect with and feel listened to by the staff?
• Has the service had any experience with young people with a similar condition/illness?
• How quickly can you get into see a clinician once you ring up to make an appointment?
• What options do they offer to pay for appointments and how much do they charge?

Looking for an adult service:

Your RCH doctor will most likely know an appropriate place for you to transfer to, however you can investigate what hospitals and options are available to you, both public and private. You can look on the links provided below.

• Melbourne Metropolitan Hospitals & Health Services Locations
• Rural Hospitals & Health Services Locations
• Public services-
  • All public clinics and hospitals are covered by Medicare.
  • Public hospitals in Victoria - Websites
• Private services
  
  • You will need private health insurance to access private hospitals and services.
  • Private health insurance providers in Victoria
  • You do not have to have private insurance. It is your choice, however, if you are thinking about getting Private Health Insurance, have a look at what different insurance companies offer and what best suits your needs and budget. Check with your parents before you take out your own private health insurance as they may have you covered by their private health insurance. Ask them if this will be transferred to you as an adult.
  • Private hospitals in Victoria
• General Practitioners
  
  • Your family General Practitioner (GP) has an important role to play in your general health are and this will continue once you have been transferred.ﾠIf you don't have a GP or are not happy with your current one, click here for ways to choose a GP.

Discuss the service options available to you with your RCH treating team. Services can vary throughout the state and do vary between illnesses/ conditions. don't be afraid to ask for information to make the process easier and less daunting for yourself.

Who can I contact?

The health system can be confusing. To help you through transition there are a number of people at RCH who can help you:

• Your doctor at RCH. Phone RCH switchboard (03) 9345 4858 to ask for your doctor.
• Your RCH department primarily responsible for your care and the treating team.
• RCH Transition Project Officer Ph: (03) 9345 4858.
• Your local GP.

Adult clinics available in adult health services

There are clinics in many adult hospitals. Some are specificallyﾠfor young adults with complex disabilities and there are also other transition clinics for variousﾠmedical conditions. See the tables below for your information.

Young adults with complex disabilities clinics

Other transition clinics