Health Policy team

We aim to influence public policy at all levels to improve health outcomes for all infants, children and young people in the UK. We work with members and officers to develop evidence based policy and healthcare standards with clear asks and actions to influence key decision makers.

Our priorities:

  • Influence key research decision makers so that child health research, including the areas of health, wellbeing services and mortality, is given the same parity as adult health research.
  • Improve health outcomes through advocacy, empower children to be in control of their own health and wellbeing and putting children and their families at the heart of what happens
  • Reduce the number of children who become ill  or whose illness progresses unnecessarily due avoidable factors.
  • Shape policy and practice in the NHS so that it provides high quality and sustainable healthcare services for all children regardless of the setting in which they receive it and to ensure long lasting improvements to services and systems to improve health outcomes for children.
  • Work in partnership with other organisations to implement early intervention strategies and reduce health inequalities for children.

Contact us on health.policy@rcpch.ac.uk

Recent content

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Air Pollution Companion: Clean air clinics

This page and our 'Clean air, healthy childhoods' policy report are for policy makers, NHS leaders and child health professionals. Clean air clinics, which are run by multidisciplinary teams, support families experiencing health problems linked to poor housing and pollution. They show what is possib...
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Air Pollution Companion: Knowledge hub - Start with the basics

Air pollution is the greatest environmental threat to public health. Children’s health, development and wellbeing are profoundly affected, with exposure to air pollution the second leading risk factor for death in children under 5, both globally and in the UK. Air pollution disproportionately impact...
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Air Pollution Companion: Advocacy toolkit - Build your skills

This page focuses on developing specific skills to support your advocacy work. Remember, as a healthcare professional you already have a range of skills that you can draw from. Effective advocacy, like clinical work, requires you to listen to others’ concerns, understand the evidence base, build tru...