Winter planning

Services for children and young people face challenges, and particularly each winter. With our guidance, position statements and case studies, we support members to make a compelling and evidence-based case for children's healthcare.
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Winter pressures in EDs – sharing solutions and best practice

In September 2022, we hosted a meeting to address concerns about increased clinical pressures in UK Paediatric Emergency Departments ahead of winter, and clinicians discussed potential solutions.

We continue to call on national governments to support paediatrics and child health over winter - including fully costed, evidence-based strategies on workforce and health inequalities. Our guidance and list of resources were updated in November 2022.
The prospect of delivering emergency care through a winter season during the COVID-19 pandemic presented an extra challenge. In autumn 2020, we outlined good practice ideas, including in the care environment, mental health and safeguarding.
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Published in autumn 2022, our recommendations on the management of children with viral respiratory tract infections in hospital settings aim to support clinicians in partnership with local infection prevention control teams.
Examples around the country detail the problem around winter pressures, the intervention and its costs and impact. They show how data-driven, systemic approaches can help make a difference.
Thes standards provide a vision of how paediatric care can be delivered to provide a safe and sustainable, high-quality service - meeting the health needs of every child and young person.
Our quality improvement sharing hub includes resources and examples of interventions in a number of clinical practice areas, plus updates and events related to QI.