A health passport is a document that parents, carers, children and young people can complete that tells medical and health care professionals everything that is important around your child’s diagnoses.
This may include:
- their current health and care needs
- what is and isn’t helpful when they are being treated
The NHS provides health passport templates, or you can use a template from another organisation such as Mencap.
The goal is to make accessing and receiving medical and health care easier for your child and your family.
Who can have a health passport
Any child or adult with a disability, learning difficulty or health condition can have a health passport.
What it covers
A health passport covers lots of different things, such as:
- your child’s name and what they like to be called
- where they live and who with
- their support needs and who they like to support them
- sensory information
- allergies
- how they communicate
Who can support you to complete a health passport
- family and friends: you might find it helpful to ask family and friends to help you and your child or young person fill out their passport, as you are the experts
- professionals from the medical and health care teams that your child is seen by, such as:
- doctors
- nurses
- healthcare support workers
- physios
- occupational therapists
- staff at the school or education setting your child or young person attends
Checking and updating a health passport
You should check and update a health passport regularly, making note of any changes in health or care needs, and likes and dislikes. This means medical and health care professionals can provide more appropriate and person-centred care if things change.
Adding a health passport to electronic health records
It is better if you have a paper copy of a health passport because it is not always possible to transfer the passport onto electronic records. This is because not all NHS services use the same electronic record systems.
You should keep several copies of your child or young person’s passport, as they can often get misplaced when at hospital. It is also a good idea to laminate them if you can.
NHS health passports
You can find passport templates and guidance, including an Easy Read version, on the NHS website:
Other health and care passports
Other templates are available from:
- Mencap: Mecap website - Health guides: Hospital passports, summary care records and flu jabs
- National Autistic Society: National Autistic Society website - My health passport
- Humber Transfoming Care Partnership: Easy read resources to support preparing your child/young person for attending medical appointments: Humber TCP website - Health and wellbeing
