How to refer a client to IDS

Welcome to the referrer section of the IDS website. The pages are designed to assist our colleagues throughout Ireland to contact us and refer clients to our service. It also provides detailed information on treatments and outcomes in the field of Prosthetics, Orthotics and Specialist Footwear.

You may be unsure if a client would be an appropriate referral or wish to discuss a potential referral with a Prosthetist or Orthotist. In urgent situations you can contact us directly by telephone or if time is not so pressing you can e-mail your enquiry. If you have decided that you do wish to refer a client it is best to do so in writing. This can be done by post, by fax or by e-mail. It is preferable and often more efficient to use our standard referral form as there is an increased likelihood that all important information would be included. Link to referral form.

Private or Medical card holder?

IDS is happy to provide a service to all clients regardless of the funding source. The quality of the service is the same for all but HSE funding restrictions may have an effect in some HSE regions on the speed at which we are permitted to provide the service. HSE funding may also have a limiting effect upon the range of devices which we are able to offer a client. It is always important to give all of the relevant information when referring a client but this is particularly true if the client is expected to be HSE funded, as missing information may cause a significant delay in when the client is first assessed. A client who is a medical card holder may opt to become a privately funded client but this is never suggested by IDS. The suggestion must be first made by the client.

The process

Upon receipt of a referral each client will be offered an appointment for assessment. This will be dependant upon the perceived requirement for urgency and may be influenced by HSE restrictions as mentioned above. All assessments are entirely free of charge and no action will be taken without the client's informed consent. If the assessing clinician's analysis does not tally with the referral or the prescription suggested by the referrer the clinician will contact the referrer in all cases before proceeding unless there is a situation of extreme urgency. If everything seems to tally and all appropriate information etc. is available the client will be advised of the likely schedule of service provision.