So long to summer and hello to autumn – President’s update

It's the start of a busy season for paediatricians in the northern hemisphere. Steve highlights what to look out for in September, such as our blueprint for child health services, welcomes new paediatric trainees and shares our recent resources on climate change and medicine safety.
Professor Steve Turner, RCPCH President

To me, this point in the year is a more natural time to reflect back and plan forward than New Year. A fine summer of sport is almost over, but we still have the Paralympics to enjoy. The sun is below the Aberdonian horizon as early as 8pm and the new school year is starting. I hope you and yours have had time to relax and catch up, despite our maritime climate delivering its typically patchy weather.

And the bustle of autumn is about to start.

For paediatric services in the UK this is the start of our even busier season - paediatrics is now busy for 12 months of the year. There is a heightened busy-ness due to the onset of the respiratory virus season (which is the 37th week of the year, ie 9 September). Scotland starts two weeks earlier. Since we know it is coming, at least we have time to get ready. For example, have a look at your local acute asthma guidelines (peak asthma admissions occur in September). Get your flu and COVID vaccines arranged. Start thinking about bronchiolitis, eg training with colleagues working in ED and out of hours. NHS England is running #AskAboutAsthma week from 9 to 15 September – you can sign up for their virtual one-day event or join our own one-hour webinar.

Also coming in September, we will be launching our blueprint to the new UK government for transforming child health services in England, which includes policy calls on seven themes including workforce, urgent and emergency care and community services. Other child health related activities will also start: the RSV vaccine is being rolled out across the UK; the new gender identity service referral pathways open in England and Wales; and public hearings for the Thirlwall Inquiry will begin. And finally, the new 2024-27 College Strategy will soon be published.

On the subject of RSV, please can I correct an inaccuracy in my last blog? The RSV vaccine can be given to pregnant mothers at the same time as the pertussis vaccine, as clarified in the Green Book. We have links to key information about the new RSV vaccine from across the nations.

#WDYCD4Y: What Does Your College Do for You?

As the new academic year begins, a quick reminder that the College has a range of resources to support you on your learning journey and throughout your paediatric career. You may have seen this week’s Member eBulletin highlighted nine courses coming up in the next few months covering a wide range of topics and in a variety of formats, including remote and in-person. You can find out more by visiting our Education and Careers section.

Showcasing our resources for trainees and trainers

Welcome to our newly appointed ST1 paediatric trainees! It is great to have you on the team. Whether you've started this month or in September or maybe you are an educational supervisor reading this who will be mentoring the new appointed trainees - please can I signpost you to this comprehensive resource designed to support them on this journey. It covers everything from setting up your RCPCH ePortfolio account to advice tailored to your previous experience, complete with a checklist and a jargon buster to ensure a smooth transition. #ChoosePaediatrics

Climate change already impacting healthcare professionals around the world

We often talk about climate and child health at the College and the link between the two is highlighted in our new report. The findings from our survey of international members show that children and young people face increased exposure to heat, poor outdoor air quality, household air pollution and higher prevalence of infectious disease. The report also offers insight into the personal and professional experiences of healthcare workers in relation to climate change.

It's a call to action for healthcare professionals, policymakers, and global leaders. We must act now to protect the most vulnerable: our children. You can read the highlights and download the full report.

Expressions of interest – workshops on unmet needs in clinical service

As part of the new NIHR Health Tech Research Centre (HRC) in Paediatrics and Child Health, in-person workshops are being conducted to identify unmet needs in clinical service that may benefit from a technological solution. NIHR is inviting expressions of interest to attend a workshop to explore possible technological solutions to unmet clinical needs in healthcare for young people, focussing on transition from paediatric to adult services.

Successful applicants will work together in a pioneering cross-disciplinary structure to develop new digital platforms and technologies that can address unmet needs. If you would like to take part, contact Jacob Branchflower at jacob.branchflower@nihr.ac.uk by 4 September for more information.

Improving the safety of liquid medicines at discharge

NHS England recently tasked our Joint Medicines Committee to help improve the safety of unlicensed liquid medicines prescribed to children and young people on discharge from hospital. Some medicines come in more than 10 different concentrations, and there have been several serious incidents due to accidental overdose.

The committee has presented six recommendations for implementation; these include standardisation of pharmacy labels, closely monitoring the medicines at discharge and clearly communicating with parents and carers. We're also keen to get paediatricians' and pharmacists' insights on the robustness of discharge processes, and would welcome your views in our short questionnaire.

I look forward to being in touch with you again in a couple of weeks.

Best wishes,
Steve


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