Feedback from the Parents’ Workshop at the London School of Paediatrics Conference
On January 25th, Meds IQ, Medicines for Children and WellChild jointly supported a group of parents from the Not a Nurse But campaign and Mother’s Instinct to lead on a session with paediatric trainees, focused on improving the dialogue between clinicians and families around medication safety.
The participants heard presentations about parents’ experiences around medication safety and their feedback on the chief difficulties they face while accessing clinical care. These included:
- Lack of sufficient information and training for families
- Lack of sensitivity and the right language in communication
- A fragmented approach to healthcare delivery
- A need to build comprehensive support for patients and their families
- Recognising the health, social and educational needs of patients and their families
- The role family members play in the patient’s process of care
The presentations were followed by table discussions on how many of these things can be improved.
One example shared was the use of health passports for children or including lead consultant’s notes about the patient’s family in personalised care plans, which can provide other healthcare staff involved in treating the patient with a better level of information on how to support that family.