Child Health In Practice Integration Checklist

In May 2018, a group of health professionals across the UK, including representatives from paediatrics nursing, policy leads and management, came together through the Q Community at the Health Foundation to share innovation and improvement amid increasing service and system pressures. Their aim was to “inspire the child health workforce to deliver high quality care that delights children and families”.

One key theme that emerged from their discussions as being a significant area for improvement was new models of care, and a new child health special interest group within the Q Community was created. In 2020, in response to the challenges faced by the paediatrics workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic, this group relaunched as the Child Health in Practice Group.

Background

Led by Dr Sanjay Patel, Paediatric Infectious Diseases Consultant at Southampton Children’s Hospital and Programme Lead of Healthier Together, the Child Health in Practice Group have developed a self-assessment tool to assist local teams in their integration planning. The intended purpose of this Child Health in Practice Integration Checklist is to support healthcare professionals in conversations about integrated care with colleagues in their local/regional areas.

The checklist provides the first step to local planning and delivery of integrated services for paediatrics and child health, from which further related standards and clinical guidance (e.g. RCPCH Facing the Future) should be used.

In consultation with key stakeholders representing the Institute of Health Visiting, Royal College of General Practitioners, Royal Pharmaceutical Society, and Association of Paediatric Emergency Medicine, the checklist covers the following 9 topics:

1. 1. Parents/carers
   2. NHS 111
   3. Community pharmacists
   4. General practice
   5. Urgent care services
   6. Paramedics/ambulance service
   7. Emergency departments
   8. Hospital based paediatric services
   9. Acute community children’s nursing

Principles

The overarching principles of the checklist are:

• Children, young people, and their families are at the heart of service planning, design, and decision-making.
• Services are integrated with access to shared patient records, and care is coordinated around the individual, and their families.
• Every child has timely access to high-quality urgent care services that are safe, effective, and equitable.
• Integrated services, from pregnancy through to adolescence and beyond, are of high quality, evidence based and safe.
• All services are delivered at the right time, in the right place, and by a trained workforce with the correct level of expertise.
• All health professionals involved in care of children and young people have access to training and continuous professional development opportunities that promote high quality care.
• There is clear leadership, accountability and assurance, and organisations work in partnership for the benefit of children and young people.

Download the checklist below and find out about the Facing the Future standards for paediatric care by visiting the RCPCH website.