What is Transition?

What happens at Transition?

Your paediatric CF team will let you know when they think you are ready to start the transition process - there will be plenty of time to discuss with your current team any specific issues or concerns before you meet the adult team for the first time.

In order to give everyone time to adjust transition occurs over a year or two (or can be longer if needed).

Some transition clinics will happen at your current hospital and some will be at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital. This allows you to meet the adult team in a familiar environment at your local hospital, and also to see where the adult clinics are and how they run.

At these clinics both the paediatric and adult teams attend and you will see members from both teams jointly.

The CF nurses may also arrange a joint home visit where nurses from both teams visit you at home together - this is not essential but if you have any issues or worries this is another opportunity to discuss them.

Transition is about helping prepare you to look after your health independently and manage your cystic fibrosis as you become an adult.

Part of this process involves moving your care from the paediatric team (who may have looked after you for a long time) to the adult team who will help you manage your CF in the future.

How is transition different to my previous care?

As a young person with CF you may be wondering how things will change as you prepare to move to the adult team. You may have known the paediatric team for most of your life, and for some people moving to the adult team and the changes that come with this are a little daunting. Please let us know if you have any worries or concerns - we are here to support you and your family/carers as you prepare for the future.

Who should come to transition clinics?

You! You are the most important person in this process and the purpose of the joint clinics is to help you feel comfortable with the team who will be helping you manage your CF as an adult.

You have always attended clinic with a parent or carer before - they are welcome at the transition clinics too. The change from clinics that you may have attended before is that if you feel comfortable we may see you for part of the clinic by yourself. We feel this is an important part of starting to manage your health independently.

What do we talk about at transition?

At transition we will talk with you about things that may be important for you and your health.

This may include:

Your understanding about CF and how it affects you.
Your medications and treatments
Lifestyle choices and how they are affected by CF - this may include alcohol, smoking, drugs, sex and relationships.

There may be other issues that you may wish to talk about that are affecting you more as you become an adult - we are very happy to discuss anything that you feel is important to you.

Where can I get more information about transition?

The CF Trust has produced a guide to help you understand the transition process.

Click here for the CF Trust Transition Guide for Young People

My child is starting the transition process - how can I support them?

Click here for the CF Trust Transition Guide for Parents

While transition is focussing on helping our young adult patients adjust to a new team and a more independent approach to looking after their health we are aware that this parents and carers may also feel they need additional support at this time.

We would continue to encourage you to attend clinics with your child if you have previously done so - you or they may feel they would like to spend some of the clinic talking to team members without you present and we would encourage this to happen when your child feels ready.

The CF Trust has produced a guide for parents which may answer some of the questions you may have - if you feel you need further information or support please feel free to talk to any of the CF teams.

Some of our local health boards have produced guides which includes specific information and contact details for people who attend services in their areas. Booklets for people attending clinics in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (which includes the Royal Hospital for Children and the Royal Alexandria Hospital in Paisley) and NHS Ayrshire and Arran (which includes Crosshouse and Ayr Hospitals) can be downloaded below:

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Guide

NHS Ayrshire and Arran Guide