Coordinator

When children and young people need long-term and complex services in health and care, they have the right to a coordinator. A coordinator is responsible for follow-up, coordination between different agencies, ensuring a comprehensive and individually adapted offer, as well as coordinating the service offer in the municipality and across the agencies involved. To coordinate means "to make work together".

The purpose of the coordinator

ensure that children/young people receive a holistic, coordinated and individually adapted service offer
ensure children/young people's participation and influence
strengthen the interaction between service providers and children/young people and their families, possibly other relatives
strengthen interaction between those who provide/offer services across subjects, levels and sectors

A distinction is usually made between a coordinator appointed in the municipality and a coordinator appointed in the specialist health service. The coordinators have slightly different roles. The coordinator in the specialist health service is responsible for coordinating internally during the stay, and externally with those who will follow up after discharge. The coordinator in the specialist health service must be a health professional. The municipality has an obligation to offer a coordinator if the child/young person receives, or is to receive, services in accordance with the Health and Care Services Act.

Examples of coordinator's tasks in the specialist health service

follow up the patient and ensure coordination of the offer during the institutional stay
interact with the contact doctor about patients who have been appointed this
interact with service providers outside the institution
report the need for an individual plan to the coordinating unit in the municipality
ensure progress in the work with the individual plan in collaboration with the coordinator in the municipality
initiate collaboration meetings with the municipality or others who will follow up after discharge

Examples of the coordinator's duties in the municipality

ensure informed consent from the person to the start of the planning process and information exchange
make arrangements for the person to participate in the work
clarify responsibilities and expectations
ensure good information and dialogue with the person and next of kin, throughout the entire process
ensure comprehensive mapping based on the person's goals, resources and needs
ensure good interaction between the actors in the health service, including with the GP who has medical coordination responsibility, as well as with relevant service providers in other sectors
ensure coordination of the service offer and good progress in the work with the individual plan
ensure common understanding of the goals in the planning process
initiate, convene and possibly lead meetings related to individual plans and coordination
follow up, evaluate and update the planning document
follow up and evaluate the work process

How to get a coordinator?

This must be applied for at the municipality you live in. The municipality's administrative unit/ordering office/allocation office (Dear child has many names!) is the right place to turn when you need a coordinator. Many municipalities also have electronic application solutions on their website.

It is important to remember documentation from the child's doctor, possibly other professional environment/agency that follows the child, and an overview of all agencies that are involved in connection with the child's follow-up and support needs.

You do not have to have an individual plan to be entitled to a coordinator.