All UK children deserve safe, high quality medical services. The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) is calling for a radical change in the way healthcare is delivered to children and young people in the UK. It is the College’s view that unless the current crisis in paediatric services is addressed, the health of children and young people in the UK will continue to suffer. The RCPCH is arguing for changes which will improve the care of children.
In order to address the present situation in paediatric services, the RCPCH has published a new set of service standards – Facing the Future: Standards for Paediatric Services. It is a bold set of minimum requirements for all general paediatric services.
All children and young people who require it should receive high quality care, delivered by trained and competent professionals in a timely manner and in appropriate settings. The purpose of the standards is to ensure that such excellent paediatric care can be provided.
The 10 standards address the timeliness of care, the grade of doctors that can review and discharge children, the availability of consultant input, the minimum number of doctors required for safe rotas as well as doctor’s responsibilities in respect of child protection services.
The RCPCH vision is one where all children and young people who require it receive timely and appropriate care in settings as near as possible to their home delivered by well-trained and competent professionals. These standards will enable that vision to be realised for all UK children.
Professor Terence Stephenson, President, Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health said:
“At this time of difficulty in many paediatric services, I am proud of the fact that paediatricians are laying down a marker and setting the standards by which all children and young people should be treated. “I have no doubt that these standards will help improve the medical care of children.”
Source:Royal College
of Paediatrics and Child Health