RCPCH to play pivotal role in ensuring children remain ‘high priority’ in NHS as first ever Children’s Forum launches

A new Children’s Forum that will engage with children, parents, carers, families and health professionals to ensure the needs of children and young people receive high priority within the NHS has been announced today.

The RCPCH has lobbied hard for this since last year.

The Children and Young People's Health Outcomes Forum, co-Chaired by RCPCH Fellow Professor Ian Lewis, and including a number of RCPCH members, is an independent body comprising experts from across the charitable, healthcare and local government sectors.

Members will meet once a month over the next three months, consult with key stakeholders and provide recommendations to Government on what is needed for the NHS to work best for children.

RCPCH President Professor Terence Stephenson, who is a member of the Children’s Forum, said:

'Throughout the recent changes to the NHS, the RCPCH has pushed hard to make sure that it delivers the best possible outcomes for children.  

'The Children’s Forum and a robust framework for measuring outcomes is a first step to making this happen.  It provides a real opportunity to make sure that the importance of children and young people is properly recognised, that they are engaged with effectively– and that they have a voice in shaping the future of their health service.'

Ends.

For further information, contact Melissa Milner: melissa.milner@rcpch.ac.uk / 020 7092 6005

The Forum is set to meet three times over the next three months, before reporting back to Government on its recommendations.