Pediatrics & Therapeutics
Open Access
ISSN: 2161-0665
ISSN: 2161-0665
Giulia Raffaele *and Lana Amigo
Evelina Childrenā??s Hospital, United Kingdom
Posters & Accepted Abstracts: Pediatr Ther
Background: The CHILDS framework addresses challenges in UK children's healthcare by promoting early intervention and improving care. It established integrated paediatric teams for GP groups in Lambeth and Southwark, comprising a paediatrician, GP, and paediatric nurse. GPs refer children to team triage meetings for guidance and support with management. This audit evaluated the process to assess timeliness and identify potential improvements. Methods: This audit analysed 99 paediatric referrals from 37 GP surgeries to the child health team triage in Southwark, between September-October 2023. Demographic data, GP surgery and presenting complaints were analysed. The time from GP consultation to triage discussion and the completion of recommended actions were calculated. Four actions were evaluated: advice, paediatrician consultation in a GP surgery (in-reach clinic), hospital specialist referral, and diagnostic investigation referral. Results: The mean age of referred patients was 6 years, the most common age group being 0-1 years. There were 54 males and 45 females. The average wait from GP consultation to triage discussion was 6 days (range: 0-31 days), and the mean time to complete recommended actions was 11.5 days (0-116 days). Actions exceeding 30 days were classified as delays, with six cases identified. Notably, the 116-day delay was an isolated case with all other actions completed within 71 days. Hospital referrals and diagnostic investigations were completed in the shortest time (5 days), while advice implementation took 8.5 days. Seeing a child in an ‘in-reach clinic’ took the longest time (49.5 days). Corrective steps have since been implemented to prevent recurrence Conclusion: The audit demonstrated that child health team triage provides timely access to specialist advice for children and young people. On average, children are provided with specialist advice on their condition within a week of their GP appointment, and the recommended action is completed within two weeks of that discussion. The audit identified variations in the time taken to be discussed in triage and for the actions recommended in triage to be completed. As a result of this audit, the number of triage slots and clinic appointments have been increased in areas where there was a significantly longer wait.
Giulia Raffaele and Lana Amigo are final-year medical students in London. Driven by a passion for widening timely access to specialist advice in paediatrics, they started the CHILDS framework project, overseen by Dr. Chloe Macaulay and her team. They audited the framework and its timelines and identified strengths and pits, particularly in certain areas of London, where Child health care was not appropriately delivered. This led to corrective steps to ensure every child receives adequate care. They would like specialists around the world to acknowledge the CHILDS framework and implement it in everyday practice.