Networks for children's health services

Find out more about networks and working across boundaries 

The documents and links below set out the College's position on networks and provide some examples of effective joint working in particular specialities.

As health policy across the UK increasingly looks to supporting new models of service planning across clinical and geographical boundaries, it is important that the benefits of integration, networks of care and partnership working are exploited to deliver high quality care to children according to their needs.

If you are part of a new network we would love to hear about your experiences; contact the Health Policy team via email and we'll be in touch shortly. 

Updates

The NHS Commissioning Board has published a Single Operating Framework for Strategic Clinical Networks, and allocated £42 million for their development. Directors of the SCNs are in the process of being appointed and business plans drawn up for their formal launch in April 2013. The RCPCH are holding a workshop this month for leads of nascent SCNs and will be continuing to work with them on the development of the Child and Maternity networks. For more information, please email the Health Policy team.

July 2012: Launch of strategic clinical networks

The Department of Health announced in July 2012 that from 2013 there will be four strategic clinical networks across England. Alongside networks for cancer, cardiovascular disease and mental health, dementia and neurological disease, there is a maternity and children’s network.

RCPCH President Hilary Cass commented: 'I’m delighted to see children's health acknowledged as a key priority - and for the first time a dedicated network will be in place to promote a culture of integrated care across 12 geographical areas. This will go a long way to helping ensure healthcare for children is as responsive as it can be.“

You can read more about operation of the strategic clinical networks here. 

March 2012: RCPCH Bringing Networks to Life

In parallel with work by the NHS Commissioning Board in England on the development of managed clinical networks we have launched a guide to establishing and managing successful networks for children’s health services across the UK. 

This document aims to 'make the case' for development and maintenance of formal and informal paediatric networks across a range of specialties. It sets out the rationale and benefits and provides evidence based examples, tips and checklists to ensure that development of new networks benefits from the lessons of others, and successful models are promoted for others to emulate where appropriate.

We hope that you will find the document useful in your work and that the specific needs of children and young people are prioritised when designing and improving specialist services across the NHS.

Download the document (PDF,480KB, 38 pages)

View a Clinical Lead job description  (PDF, 37KB, 7 pages)

Guidance on paediatric nephrology networks

The RCPCH in collaboration with NHS KidneyCare and the British Association of Paediatric Nephrology has published a report on paediatric nephrology networks, setting out the core requirements for success and standards for commissioning and provision of services.

Built on existing good practice and evidence, the review examines access to services, patient and carer involvement, quality indicators, audit and workforce planning.  This document has particular relevance in the light of the current NHS reforms in England, and the acknowledgement by the government of the importance of clinical networks for specialist care.

Download the document (PDF,1MB,48 pages)

RCPCH guidance on establishing and maintaining clinical networks 

Networks in the new NHS, a presentation by Dr. Carol Ewing, RCPCH Workforce Officer (June 2011)

'The Information Revolution', an Informatics for quality presentation by Dr. David Low, Chair of the Informatics Committee at the RCPCH Annual Conference 2011. 

Teams Without Walls: working together will improve patient care RCP, RCGP, RCPCH 2008

This report explores the concept of 'teams without walls' whereby professionals from primary and secondary care work across traditional health boundaries to deliver care that puts the patient first.

Download the document (PDF, 117KB, 15pages)

A Guide to Understanding Pathways and Networks, 2006

A guide to understanding networks and pathways outlines the theory and practical application of pathway and networks.

Old Problems, New Solutions, 2002

Old Problems New Solutions outlines research by the RCPCH into how NHS services were responding to the needs of children and describes a range of children's services that have developed in recent years.

For all enquiries, please email the Health Policy team.