Community OSDocs

DocsReferral Tracker

What is a referral?

A referral is the formal handover that connects a person with a service provider who can help them.

ConceptReferral TrackerBeneficiaryFamilySupport worker

What is it?

A referral connects a person with a service provider. The referral records who is being referred, who made the referral, what the person needs, and which provider was recommended.

Each referral has a status, so you can see where it is in the process. When the provider responds, a referral outcome records the result and whether follow-up is still needed.

When do you use it?

You use a referral when a person needs a service you do not provide yourself. You use it to:

  • Hand a person's needs to a provider in an organised way.
  • Keep track of which providers people are waiting for.
  • Make sure someone follows up after the handover.
  • Show that the person was referred and what happened.

Example

James is a support worker. Wiremu needs help with housing. James creates a referral for Wiremu, adds housing as the need, and recommends a housing provider. Two weeks later, James records the outcome: Wiremu has an assessment booked. The referral stays on record, and the follow-up flag is cleared.