St Mary’s consultant co-authors national report into the care and experiences of children moving into adult health services
Katie Malbon, a paediatric consultant at St Mary’s Hospital, part of West London Children’s Healthcare*, has co-authored a groundbreaking report about the importance of improving the process of children and young people with complex chronic health conditions moving into adult services.
This report, published this month by the National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death (NCEPOD) is titled ‘The Inbetweeners’.
The report is based on a study conducted between October 2019 and March 2021 which looked at the the challenges faced by young people in accessing appropriate healthcare services as they move into adulthood.
The themes of the report include:
- Making developmentally appropriate healthcare core business for all involved
- Involving young people and parent/carers in transition planning and transfer to adult services
- Improving communication and co-ordination between all specialties
- Organising healthcare services to enable young people to transfer to adult services effectively
- Providing strong leadership at board and specialty level at all stages of transition and transfer
Recommendations
The report makes a number of recommendations, including setting out practical steps that every clinician involved in the care of both children and adults needs to be aware of. These include the need for a personalised, developmentally appropriate plan; inclusive communication, ensuring patients have copies of all correspondence; and transition clinics involving healthcare staff from the young person’s paediatric team and the adult service(s) they will move to. Read the summary report.
Katie Malbon, co-author of the NCEPOD report and a paediatric consultant, said: "The findings of this report are significant and highlight the urgent need for a more coordinated and seamless transition process for young people accessing adult healthcare services.
"It is crucial that all healthcare professionals recognise the importance of developmentally appropriate healthcare and embrace the responsibility it entails. Adequate resources must be made available to ensure a successful transition for young individuals."
*The integrated children's services of both Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust.
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