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Healthcare Commission throws spotlight on child services. |
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"Children's healthcare is very distinct, it has real needs of its own and is not the same as adult care."
- Anna Walker, Chief Executive of the Healthcare Commission
The Healthcare Commission publishes its review of child services across the NHS on 31st August 2006. This review shows that many departments are not yet meeting the standards for the care of children in the NHS as set out by the National Service Framework for Children published in 2003. 25% of trusts were rated as "good" or "excellent", whilst 70% got a "fair" rating. However, when individual departments within trusts were reviewed the findings were not so favourable. In particular, outpatient services for children and access to child specific emergency departments were found lacking. A+E can be a very frightening experience for children and one of the key messages in the NSF for children is that care should be provided in a child-friendly environment. |
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