CONNECTPlus: Supporting families to “wait well” in the Paediatric Neurodiversity Pathway
CONNECTPlus updates the current referral model using digital tools to provide immediate help to families and reduce the pressure on services. CONNECTPlus offers:
Video and text information to support and guide
Development needs checklist
Diaries/trackers to record what happens at home and school
FAQs for common questions
Links to local and key resources
Support to frontline teams

The Challenge
Growing waiting lists of families being referred
Families waiting a long time for assessment
Children suffering at home and school
Inappropriate and poor referrals
Reputational damage for the service
The Opportunity
To improve the lives of children, families and healthcare professionals by:
Providing clear information, access to resources
Empowering families to self manage their child’s behaviour in early years or whilst on a waiting list
Improving parents understanding of their child’s needs and their ability to support them
Overcoming the misunderstanding that a diagnosis needs to be made in order to support their child
Reducing the risk of high priority cases being missed
Reducing the volume of referrals and waiting times
Enabling a joined up, family centred approach to the care pathway


Case Study
The neurodiversity digital pathway has been built alongside Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, converting the 'First Steps' handbook, Consultant Paediatrician Lisa Teoh devised in 2020. Download the full Case Study to read about the issues families are facing in Torbay and South Devon and how CONNECTPlus is being used to improve services and reduce anxiety for families.
Download Case StudyWho is CONNECTPlus for?
The package on CONNECTPlus is aimed at families, but also helps schools, community services and primary care by:
Providing information to educate frontline teams
Enabling frontline workers to offer support to families
Reducing the pressure on the system
Enabling earlier recognition of other needs
The Solution

Condition specific information
Explaining neurodiversity conditions in text & video format

Symptom trackers
Gathering information for more effective assessment

Frequently Asked Questions
Answering common questions to reduce phone contact

Localisation & Resources
Connecting families to local information and resources
Who are HCI?
We work with over 20 NHS trusts and the Health and Care Video Library has been used by NHS England to support hospitals and GP practices nationally during the COVID-19 pandemic