Learning together to improve child health - joint position paper

This paper from RCPCH and the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) on inter-professional training advocates that GP and paediatric trainees work side by side in order to share ideas and learn from each other.

Recommendations:

  • Paediatricians should spend time working side by side with GPs and other primary care professionals in general practice settings.
  • Trainee GPs (general practitioners) should spend time in specialist settings such as hospitals alongside paediatricians to expose them to large numbers of sick children in safe, supervised environments.
  • GP training should be extended GP training to four years to include specialist child health training.
  • Even after training, GPs and consultant paediatricians should spend time working side by side in general practice and specialist settings.

The position paper includes some examples of good practice, and the two Colleges recommend these be considered by commissioners across the country for trainees at all stages of their career and, if required, adapted to suit local need.