News

A good start in life is critical for health—and this story begins before birth. The WHO states that monitoring maternal and child health during pregnancy is critical, and that smoking is one of the most important modifiable lifestyle choices during this period.

Mental health and wellbeing have entered the collective conscience of paediatric medicine, with widespread speculation that social media use and rising academic stress are among the many new challenges impacting this generation of children and young people.

The Government is to consider more flexible training for healthcare professionals who wish to switch discipline. The Department of Health and Social Care said that people who are already working as healthcare professionals "could train to become doctors and nurses more quickly now that the UK has le...

NHSE is conducting a review of the specification for this service and associated policies for 2020. It will also set up an independent expert group to make recommendations regarding the use of puberty suppressants and cross-sex hormones.

The review was commissioned by the Chief Executive of NHS England to assist its Board in the evaluation of responses to a consultation undertaken in summer 2019 relating to a new draft service specification for children’s cancers.

In April this year, the Welsh Government published a report produced by Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the Royal College of Midwives, reviewing maternity services at Cwm Taf Health Board.

The Scottish Health Survey (SHeS) provides a detailed picture of the health of the Scottish population in private households and is designed to make a major contribution to the monitoring of health in Scotland. RCPCH Officer for Scotland, Professor Steve Turner, responds.

Responding to today’s Programme for Government, RCPCH Scotland highlighted the mixed bag offered by Scottish Government for Scotland’s children. RCPCH Scotland welcomed the actions being taken on air pollution, child poverty, early year’s mental health and disability assistance.

A paper published in the Lancet finds that, for teenage girls, almost all of the effect of very frequent social media use on wellbeing was due to increased exposure to bullying and reduced sleep and physical exercise. Meanwhile, for teenage boys, the impact on wellbeing appears to be due to other in...

RCPCH President responds to latest National Maternity and Perinatal Audit and says whilst the expansion of perinatal mental health support is particularly welcome, support services are under immense pressure. He urges an immediate moratorium on any further cuts so "pregnant women and their children ...