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Showing results for tags 'Children and Young People'.
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News ArticleThe mother of a bullied 12-year-old girl has said her daughter struggled to get mental health support on the NHS in the months before she killed herself, and accused her school of failing to deal with inappropriate messages circulating among pupils. The mother of Charley-Ann Patterson, Jamie, told a hearing that despite being seen by three medical professionals, Charley-Ann had been unable to get mental health support in the months before her death. In a statement read at an inquest at Northumberland coroner’s court on 12 October, Jamie said her daughter had changed halfway through her first year of secondary school, when she was sent “inappropriate” and “shocking” messages by other pupils. The inquest heard that Jamie first took her daughter to a GP over self-harm concerns in June 2019, but she said she “did not believe that the GP took Charley-Ann’s self-harm seriously, potentially due to her age”. She took Charley-Ann to A&E in May 2020 after a second episode of self-harm, where she was referred to a psychiatric team and given a telephone appointment in which she was told Charley-Ann would be referred to child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS), but that “it was likely that she would not be seen for three years”. In an appointment with a nurse she was told that she would be referred to the Northumberland mental health hub for low mood and anxiety, but later learned “that this referral was never made”. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 12 October 2022
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News Article
Children with Down Syndrome at up to 10-fold higher risk of diabetes
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
New research led by Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) and King's College London (KCL) has shown that children with Down Syndrome (DS) are up to 10 times more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes. Although elevated rates of both type 1 diabetes and obesity in DS were already recognised, this is the first time that the incidence of these comorbidities has been mapped across the life span, in one of the biggest DS cohorts in the world. The authors concluded: "Our study shows that patients with DS are at significantly increased risk of diabetes at a younger age than the general population, with more than four times the risk in children and young adults and more than double the risk in patients aged 25–44 years." They added: "The underlying mechanisms for this increased susceptibility for diabetes in DS still need further investigation. A combination of factors, including genetic susceptibility, predisposition to auto- immunity, mitochondrial dysfunction, increased oxidative stress, and cellular dysfunction, are thought to contribute to this risk." Corresponding author Andre Strydom, professor in intellectual disabilities at KCL, said: "This is the largest study ever conducted in Down Syndrome patients to show that they have unique needs with regards to diabetes and obesity, and that screening and intervention – including a healthy diet and physical activity – at younger ages is required compared with the general population. "The results will help to inform the work of NHSE's LeDeR programme to reduce inequalities and premature mortality in people with Down Syndrome and learning disabilities." Read full story Source: Medscape UK, 5 October 2022 -
News Article
We must challenge 'doctor knows best' attitude, bereaved mother says
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Merope Mills, an editor at the Guardian, has questioned doctors' attitudes after her 13-year-old daughter Martha's preventable death in hospital. Martha had sustained a rare pancreatic trauma after falling off a bike on a family holiday, and spent weeks in a specialist unit where she developed sepsis. An inquest concluded that her death was preventable, and the hospital apologised. Ms Mills said her daughter would be alive today if doctors had not kept information from the parents about her condition, because they would have demanded a second opinion. She added that doctors' attitudes "reeked of misogyny", citing a moment when her "anxiety" was used as an argument to not send critical care to Martha. In a statement, Prof Clive Kay, chief executive of King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust said he was "deeply sorry that we failed Martha when she needed us most". "Our focus now is on ensuring the specific learnings from her case are used to improve the care our teams provide - and that is what we are committed to doing." Watch video Source: BBC News, 6 October 2022 Further reading on the hub ‘We had such trust, we feel such fools’: how shocking hospital mistakes led to our daughter’s death (The Guardian) “Are you questioning my clinical judgement?” Suppressing parents’ concerns is a serious patient safety risk -
News Article
WHO alert over India-made cough syrups after deaths in The Gambia
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
A global alert has been issued over four cough syrups after the World Health Organization (WHO) warned they could be linked to the deaths of 66 children in The Gambia. The syrups have been "potentially linked with acute kidney injuries and 66 deaths among children", it said. The products were manufactured by an Indian company, Maiden Pharmaceuticals, which had failed to provide guarantees about their safety, the WHO added. The WHO identified the medicines as Promethazine Oral Solution, Kofexmalin Baby Cough Syrup, Makoff Baby Cough Syrup and Magrip N Cold Syrup. The four products had been identified in The Gambia, but "may have been distributed, through informal markets, to other countries or regions", the WHO added, in the alert published on its website. It warned that their use may result in serious injury or death, especially among children. Read full story Source: BBC News, 6 October 2022 -
News Article
How 175 British children were infected with HIV
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
At least 175 children with the blood disorder haemophilia were infected with HIV in the 1980s, according to documents from the national archives seen by BBC News. Some of the families affected are giving evidence at a public inquiry into what has been called the worst treatment disaster in the history of the NHS. It was almost 36 years ago - in late October 1986 - but Linda will never forget the day she was told her son had been infected. She had been called into a consulting room in Birmingham Children's Hospital, with 16-year-old Michael. As a toddler, he had been diagnosed with haemophilia, a genetic disorder that stopped his blood clotting properly. Linda assumed the meeting was to discuss moving his care to the main Queen Elizabeth Hospital in the city. "It was so routine that my husband stayed in the car outside," she says. "Then, all of a sudden, the doctor said, 'Of course, Michael is HIV positive,' and he came out with it like he was talking about the weather outside. My stomach just fell." Between 1970 and 1991, 1,250 people with blood disorders were infected with HIV in the UK after taking Factor VIII - a new treatment that replaced the clotting protein missing from their blood. About half of those infected with HIV died of an Aids-related illness before life-saving antiretroviral drugs became available. Almost three decades later, Linda is giving evidence to the long-running public inquiry into the treatment disaster. She will appear alongside other parents, in a special session about the experiences of families whose children were infected in the 1970s and 80s. "I felt as though I needed to do it because I want to help get to the bottom of it," she says. "We all want to know why it was allowed to happen and to keep on happening as well." Read full story Source: BBC News, 6 October 2022 -
News Article
Teen held in hospital for months due to lack of secure children’s home place
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
A young teenager with complex needs in local authority care has been deprived of their liberty and held in hospital for several months because no secure placement could be found anywhere in England, a family court has heard. General hospitals are not registered to provide secure accommodation for children in this situation, and do not have the specialist staff required to provide the care and therapeutic input needed. High court judges have repeatedly raised concerns that children in urgent need of secure accommodation are waiting months to find a place, to the detriment of their mental health. England has an acute shortage of secure therapeutic placements for children with severe emotional and psychological needs. Government figures published in March show there are just 132 spaces in secure homes for children with urgent and complex needs. On any given day, about 50 children – twice as many as in the previous 12 months – were seeking a placement. About 30 children – an increase of a third on the previous 12-month period – end up placed hundreds of miles from home in Scotland due to the lack of available secure units in England. A Department for Education spokesperson said: “All children and young people deserve to grow up in stable, loving homes, and local authorities have a statutory duty to ensure that there are enough places for their looked-after children. “We are supporting local authorities through providing £259m to maintain capacity and expand provision in secure and open children’s homes. “This will provide high quality, safe homes for some of our most vulnerable children. It will mean children can live closer to their families, schools, and health services, in settings that meet their needs.” Read full story Source: The Guardian, 4 October 2022 -
News Article
Thousands of children at risk as vaccination rates fall in England
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Thousands of children face an increased risk of catching deadly diseases in England, and significant outbreaks are likely, child health experts have warned, as “alarming” figures show vaccination levels have plunged across virtually all jabs. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is urging parents and guardians to ensure their children have received the routine jabs against potentially serious diseases, such as polio and measles, after official data revealed a drop in vaccination rates. NHS Digital data published Thursday showed vaccine coverage fell in 13 out of the 14 routine programmes for children up to five years old in England in 2021-22, compared with the year before. “Today’s publication of the childhood vaccination statistics in England is extremely worrying,” said Dr Doug Brown, the chief executive of the British Society for Immunology. “Immediate action to reverse this alarming multi-year downward trend and protect our communities from preventable diseases is urgently needed.” Helen Bedford, a professor of child public health at UCL’s Institute of Child Health, said the country was now facing “the concerning double whammy of many children being unprotected and the inevitability of disease rates increasing”. “In this situation, as night follows day, significant outbreaks of disease are likely. Measles disease is a particular concern as it is so highly infectious that any small decline in vaccine uptake results in outbreaks. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 29 September 2022 -
News ArticleChildren’s doctors plan to help poor families cope with the cost of living crisis and its feared impact on health, amid concern that cold homes this winter will lead to serious ill health. In an unusual move, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) is issuing the UK’s paediatricians with detailed advice on how they can help households in poverty. It has drawn up a series of resources, including advice for doctors treating children to use appointments to talk sensitively to their parents about issues that can have a big impact on their offspring’s health. These include diet, local pollution levels, socio-economic circumstances and difficulties at home or school, which are closely linked to children’s risk of being overweight, asthmatic or stressed. “Don’t shy away from it,” the RCPCH’s 17-page manual says. “If we aren’t asking families about things which may impact on their children’s health, we are short-changing the children themselves.” However, it adds that paediatricians should “pick your timing carefully [as] parents can feel alienated if we are perceived as jumping in with two feet to ask about smoking when they are stressed about an acutely unwell child with pneumonia.” Read full story Source: The Guardian, 22 September 2022
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Content ArticleThis report by the National Paediatric Diabetes Audit (NPDA) is based on data from 33,251 children and young people receiving care from a paediatric diabetes unit (PDU) in 2021/22 in England and Wales. It found that the increase in incidence of Type 1 diabetes observed in the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic was followed by a continuing increase in the numbers of children newly diagnosed with the condition in 2021/22. Other key findings include: Almost all of those with Type 2 diabetes were overweight or obese, and almost half had a diastolic or systolic blood pressure in the hypertensive range. Despite reductions in the percentages recorded as requiring additional support between 2020/21 and 2021/22, over a third of children and young people were assessed as requiring additional psychological support outside of multidisciplinary meetings. Inequalities persist in terms of the use of diabetes related technologies in relation to ethnicity and deprivation.
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Content ArticleClinicians in emergency departments (EDs) will see babies and young children with injuries that may be non-accidental. If the cause of such injuries is missed, there is a risk of further harm to the child. However, making a judgement about whether an injury might be accidental or not is complex and difficult. This Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB) investigation explores the issues that influence the diagnosis of non-accidental injuries in infants (children under 1 year of age) who visit an ED. Specifically, it explores the information and support available to ED clinicians to help them to make such a diagnosis. Due to the nature of the subject matter no specific incident was used to explore this area of care. Instead, the investigation analysed 10 serious incident reports (reports written by NHS trusts when a serious patient safety incident occurs) to identify the factors that contribute to non-accidental injuries not being diagnosed. These factors were grouped into themes, which informed the terms of reference for the investigation.
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Content ArticleThis national NHS primary care clinical pathway for constipation in children guidance supports clinicians in the prevention and management of constipation in children and young people by providing a clear and standardised approach, based on guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), the British National Formulary for Children (BNFc) and clinical expert groups. The pathway promotes available resources for clinicians, families and other care providers and ensures they are easily accessible, as well as raises the profile of constipation in children and young people with a learning disability as a factor in adult mortality rates.
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Content Article
ERIC: The children's bowel and bladder charity
Patient_Safety_Learning posted an article in Paediatrics
ERIC is the national charity dedicated to improving children’s bowel and bladder health. Their mission is to reduce the impact of continence problems on children and their families. The ERIC website includes: advice and resources for professionals advice and resources for parents and young people training and events information about bowel and bladder health for children with additional needs. To speak to an ERIC advisor you can call 0808 1699 949. The Helpline is open Monday - Thursday, 10am to 2pm and is free to call from landline and mobile numbers. To visit the ERIC website, click on the link below. -
Content ArticleCincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center believes all patients and their families have a right to receive medical information in their preferred language. Andy Schwieter from Cincinnati Children’s shares how his organisation supports the diverse languages of the community they serve through improved communication.
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Content ArticleThis blog by the Centre for Mental Health looks at data about young people's mental health in 2022 from NHS Digital, highlighting the urgent need for effective mental health services and support for young people. It looks at what needs to change to improve the picture for young people's mental health including addressing child poverty, implementing whole school and college approaches and investing in early intervention support.
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Content ArticleECRI’s Top 10 Patient Safety Concerns 2023 list identifies potential sources of danger for patients and staff. ECRI believe these risks require the greatest focus for the coming year and offer actionable recommendations for reducing these risks. ECRI conducts independent medical device evaluations, annually compiles scientific literature and patient safety events, concerns reported to or investigated by the organization, and other data sources to create its top 10 list.
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Content ArticleThis report by the National Paediatric Diabetes Audit (NPDA) looks at diabetes care for children in England and Wales in 2021-22. The effectiveness of diabetes care is measured against NICE guidelines and includes treatment targets, health checks, patient education, psychological wellbeing, and assessment of diabetes-related complications including acute hospital admissions, all of which are vital for monitoring and improving the long-term health and wellbeing of children and young people with diabetes. In 2021/22, 100% of paediatric diabetes teams participated in the NPDA.
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Content ArticlePatient engagement is a key component of quality improvement in health. Patient activation is defined as the patient's willingness to manage their health based on understanding their role in the care process and having the knowledge and skills to do so. For children parents have this role. The Parent Patient Activation Measure (Parent-PAM) is adapted from Patient Activation Measure(PAM), a 13-point questionnaire designed to measure healthcare activation. PAM scores are stratified into "levels of activation": Level 1-does not believe the caregiver role is important (score ≤47.0) through to Level 4-takes action, may have difficulty maintaining behaviours (score ≥71). This study, published in the European Respiratory Journal, aimed to evaluate caregiver activation using Parent-PAM in a paediatric difficult asthma(DA)clinic.
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Content ArticleThe purpose of this study, published in Archives of Disease in Childhood, was to determine the incidence and nature of prescribing and medication administration errors in paediatric inpatients. Authors conclude that prescribing and medication administration errors are not uncommon in paediatrics, partly as a result of the extra challenges in prescribing and administering medication to this patient group. The causes and extent of these errors need to be explored locally and improvement strategies pursued.
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Content ArticleThe purpose of this study, published in Intensive Care Medicine, was to establish the baseline prescribing error rate in a tertiary paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) and to determine the impact of a zero tolerance prescribing (ZTP) policy incorporating a dedicated prescribing area and daily feedback of prescribing errors.
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Content ArticleIatrogenic injuries, including medication errors, are an important problem in all hospitalized populations. However, few epidemiological data are available regarding medication errors in the paediatric inpatient setting. The objectives of this paper, published in JAMA, were to assess the rates of medication errors, adverse drug events (ADEs), and potential ADEs; to compare paediatric rates with previously reported adult rates; to analyse the major types of errors; and to evaluate the potential impact of prevention strategies.
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Content ArticleThis is an annual report by the Children’s Commissioner review in children’s mental health services in England during 2021-22. It considers key trends in children’s access to mental health services and considers the current state of care provided to children who are admitted to inpatient mental health settings.
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Content Article
Co-produced by young people and researchers from the University of Bristol and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, ‘EDUCATE’ will help teach students about the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine and provide reassurance about receiving the vaccine, which is usually offered to teenagers at school as part of the national vaccination programme. -
Content ArticleThe Scottish Patient Safety Programme (SPSP) is a national quality improvement programme that aims to improve the safety and reliability of care and reduce harm. Since the launch of SPSP in 2008, the programme has expanded to support improvements in safety across a wide range of care settings including Acute and Primary Care, Mental Health, Maternity, Neonatal, Paediatric services and medicines safety. Underpinned by the robust application of quality improvement methodology SPSP has brought about significant change in outcomes for people across Scotland.
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Content ArticleThis infographic explains the role community health services play in the NHS healthcare system.
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Content Article
Diabetes Type 1: S.T.I.G.M.A. (Revolve Comics)
Patient Safety Learning posted an article in Diabetes
Type 1: S.T.I.G.M.A. is the third issue in the type 1 diabetes comic series. Here, the focus is on stigma and on the risk that can be posed to people with type 1 diabetes if blood sugar levels fall too low… Supported by the NHS.
