RCPCH Newsletter 07 Summer

newsRCPCHSUMMER 2007

Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health

Spring MeetinghighlightsA report from this year’s AGM 9

TRAINING NEWS4MTAS – what is the College doing?

5Progress in the CollegeAssessment Strategy

6Less than full time training

14Trainees’ column

‘An old man walking on the beach at

dawn noticed a boy picking up a starfish

and throwing it into the sea. When asked

why, the boy explained that the stranded

starfish would die if left to lie in the

morning sun. “But there are millions of

starfish on this beach,” said the old man

“How can your efforts make a

difference?” The boy picked up another

starfish and placed it in the waves. “It

makes a difference to this one,” he said.’

IN MEMORIAM, DAVID BAUM (1940-1999)

Considerable coverage has been given inthis newsletter to the MTAS debacle –both in the President’s column and inthe detailed article on MTAS and MMC.Readers will recognise the starfish as thesymbol of the David Baum MemorialAppeal. I believe it is as relevant to thiscrisis as it was to David’s national andinternational work for children. Allconsultants have a personal sense ofresponsibility for their SHOs, and arecommitted to helping their own ‘starfish’.Meanwhile the Regional Advisers andCollege Officers are struggling with abeach full of stranded starfish – withever tighter deadlines as the morningsun heats up.

One of the frequent queries to theRegistrar is ‘What is the College doingabout…….?’ – at which I brace myselffor subjects which range from planningfor pandemic ‘flu to responding to thehumanitarian crisis in Darfur to advisingon the use of helmets in plagiocephaly.The question arises for two reasons –sometimes people don’t know theanswer, and sometimes they don’t thinkwe are doing enough. So do we need tocommunicate more or do more?

When it comes to communication,we’ve used every means at our disposalto tell you about MTAS - the President’se-bulletin, this newsletter and regularupdates on our website. But what of therest of our work? We are incrediblyfortunate in having Mary McGraw asVice President for Training andAssessment. MTAS is the tip of hericeberg, and few can begin to appreciatethe time she has expended in getting ourcompetency frameworks approved and

responding to the bewildering array ofdocuments and directives from PMETB.Training paediatricians is, of course, thebedrock of our College, but as we passour 10th birthday, our range of activitieshas mushroomed. We are busy lobbyingministers, preparing publications,attending national meetings, managingcommittees, interacting with otherColleges, developing new educationalmaterials, setting standards and strivingto influence policy and practice. And inthe case of the President, braving earlymorning encounters with the BBC (seeopposite).

In the coming weeks, I want to dotwo things through our website. Firstlyto tell you about the people who are‘The College’ – and they are not me, butyou! Alongside the staff and officers,there are scores of paediatricianschairing and participating in committees,representing us on working parties,acting as advisers and contributing toCollege guidance. By running a ‘5Minutes With…’ section, I want tointroduce you to some of these peopleand through them, to more of theCollege activities.

Secondly we will be running asection called ‘What is the College DoingAbout….?’. This will start with someexisting FAQs, then gather furtherqueries from you. We already have anambitious College workplan, informedby the President’s ‘Visions and Values’statement. Within that we want to besure that we understand your concernsand questions, that we are honest aboutour limitations, and that we make jointdecisions with you about what isimportant and achievable. We know wecan save many starfish, but we can’trescue every one on the beach.

Sign on repair shop door WE CAN REPAIR ANYTHING!!

(Please knock hard, bell doesn’t work)

Hilary CassRCPCH REGISTRAR

Editorials

From the Registrar4MTAS – what has the Collegebeen doing?

5Progress in the CollegeAssessment Strategy

6Paediatric e-portfolio

Less than full time training

7Services for Children inEmergency Departments

Dr Bernard Valman tribute

8Media roundup

The College’s EthicsAdvisory Committee

9Spring Meeting

12Participation

RCPCH Children’s & YoungPeople’s ParticipationAdvisory Group

13Information leaflets forchildren’s medicine

New guidelines on feverishillness in young children

Wellchild Award

14Trainees’ column

Children’s and maternityservices in 2009

15Meetings

SASG News

Apology NoticeThe RCPCH apologises to Child AdvocacyInternational for omitting an acknowledgment foruse of their photo used on the front cover of theSpring 2007 edition of the newsletter.

In the newsSummer 2007

Knowing you are to be interviewed on theToday programme is not conducive to agood night’s sleep and as I was also toappear on breakfast television I had to leavemy house well before dawn. I had been told that I would receive the attentions ofthe BBC cosmetic department and I wasquite looking forward to a make-over. Tomy disappointment the lady thought I wasenough made up already which, at 05:30, I most certainly was not. I spent longer than seemed necessary in the waiting room,along with the Blue Peter gardener and avery fierce lady protesting about Counciltax. I can also assure you that your licencefee is not being squandered on lavishrefreshment for interviewees. I survived fivetelevision and radio interviews andwondered if any of my friends (or come tothat anyone at all) had seen or heard me.My dentist did see me and said that,although he had not a clue what I wastalking about, he had recognised my teeth.

As I write we are in the middle of theMTAS crisis, and this has dominated MaryMcGraw’s life and mine over the last weeksand indeed months. There is an articleabout this from Mary in this newsletter (pp4-5) that sets out the history of ourinvolvement with MMC and MTAS and whatwe have been doing to try to repair theselection process.

Part of the subtext to the protests relatingto MTAS is the perception that theprofession is losing autonomy and influence– and indeed professional status itself. ThePostgraduate Medical and Education Board(PMETB) is perceived as having takeneducation away from the Colleges and theGovernment itself as sidelining doctors.

The function of PMETB is to setstandards for training and assessment, not todictate the content or take over its delivery.It is fair to say that previously the Colleges’training programmes differed in style, depthand quality assurance. The examinations

were different and some very subjectivedecisions on candidates’ performances weremade with no evidence that this was a fairand robust process – and yet it could blightan individual’s career. Trainees facedgeographical uncertainty and unfairlybalanced programmes – once on the “ivorytower” rotation you could stay there, andonce in smaller, more rural hospitals youmight stay in those too. Both provideexcellent training and experience but theremust be balanced programmes. Up till nowtrainees only knew they were doing well ifthey got a job at the next interview, whichpresumably meant their references wereacceptable. We all know the failings of theRITA process. Now trainees will have fairand transparent assessment so they canimprove where they are weak and gainconfidence in knowing where they arestrong (usually more than they think). Asbefore, the Deans will be responsible forensuring this is delivered but will need theColleges in order to achieve this.

PMETB is also responsible for setting theend-point to be achieved and demonstratedin order to enter the Specialist Register. Thisis not a new concept - the old STA used toapprove sign-off to the Specialist Register –but on grounds of counting years, monthsand even weeks and days in training as aproxy for competence and performance.Now – as then – the College considers theevidence presented and makes arecommendation to an overarching body.

We can and do influence PMETB bybeing asked to comment on documents andtaking part in training and assessmentcommittees. The fact that PMETB has takenover the visiting programme is a majorconcern. The Colleges lost visits by beingtoo time-consuming and repetitive, tooinconsistent and too rapidly judgmental. Ibelieve we have to earn the right to takeback this responsibility by working withDeans and schools in order to make sure

training posts deliver what we expect themto and that trainees have proper educationalsupervision. I still believe specialty visits inpaediatrics need College input. It will becrucial that visits can be triggered byconcerns raised by trainees or by Deans orpaediatricians. I believe the Deans need usand can be important allies – we have beenwell served by both our past and presentlead deans in paediatrics – but we recognisethe need to remain autonomous.

There are financial implications for theCollege as the DH funds we previouslyreceived for this work have been transferredto PMETB. We are still doing a lot of workon equivalence and curricula and are indiscussion with PMEB over this.

What is the Academy of Medical RoyalColleges doing? The debacle over MTAShighlighted what can happen if the Collegesare excluded, and this is now recognised. As soon as it became clear that goodcandidates were not being offeredinterviews, a deputation from the Academymet with the Secretary of State. As a directresult, the MTAS Review Group was set up,chaired by a President of a Royal Collegeand constituted with other Presidents. TheAcademy trainees’ representative – our ownPaul Dimitri – is also on the group, and allhave worked incredibly hard to try to rescuethe process. As you will read later in thisnewsletter, Mary McGraw and I have beenmeeting regularly with the Presidents andtraining leads of the RCOG and RCPsychand senior members of the MTAS team tofight for flexibility in the system to copewith those specialties that have particularproblems.

I am hampered by having to write this inearly May; at the current rate of change,who knows where we may be when youare reading this. Wherever we are I assureyou we have been working extremely hardon getting the best deal for trainees and theservice and believe that the future will bebrighter and will contain a continuing rolefor the Colleges and for the profession as awhole.

Patricia HamiltonRCPCH PRESIDENT

RCPCH newsEditorials

From the PresidentI occasionally feel moved to appear on radio or televisionin an effort to promote the College’s view on importantissues. One such was the Healthcare Commission’s reporton implementation of the NSF standards for children,which showed that 75% of hospitals were rated only“fair” or indeed “poor”.

“There is nothing more certain

and unchanging than

uncertainty and change” JF KENNEDY

There have been many changes inpostgraduate training over the last 18months but the latest in the process, thatof selection into specialty training, hasresulted in such widespread despair andloss of confidence that we are in dangerof losing what we have achieved andour hopes for the future.

Firstly it is important to realise thatMTAS (Medical Training ApplicationSystem) is not synonymous with MMC(Modernising Medical Careers). MMCchanges the focus from specialist trainingto specialty training, introducing a run-through grade, which aims to achieve abalanced, cohesive training programmewith some geographical stability. It alsoaims to improve patient care byimproving educational supervision andhoped to address workforce issues.Although when the concept wasoriginally introduced it was viewed bysome as a Department of Healthinitiative to shorten training, the RCPCHrose to the challenge and produced aflexible curriculum, based oncompetence and confidence, which isthe same length as our previousprogramme. The majority of trainees willtake 8 years post Foundation training,but those able trainees who wish toprogress more quickly will be able to doso, something that was not possiblewithin Calman training. We consultedwidely on the new training programmeand its curriculum, which was developedby paediatricians. We were supported bythe membership, including the trainees,who have been very positive. Having

received approval from the PostgraduateMedical Education and Training Board(PMETB) for the curriculum, we are nowdeveloping the accompanyingassessment strategy. Again the Collegemembers have developed this. Westrongly believe the new trainingprogrammes will offer improvedopportunities to enable trainees toprogress through a structuredprogramme that will allow them to buildupon the competences they haveacquired as they move forward.

Sadly the selection process into thattraining, MTAS, has been deeply flawed.We did however support thedevelopment of a national applicationsystem. Up until now junior traineesfaced a repeated lottery in applying forposts. This entailed a continual round oftravelling to one interview after another,often having to decide whether to taketheir least favoured option because theinterview was earlier than for a post theypreferred and often facing frequentmoves of location. Shortlisting from amyriad of applications could not alwayshave been said to be completely fair.

We were originally advised thatColleges would be involved in derivingselection criteria based on potential anddemonstration of competences. Weresearched information that wasavailable about current selectionprocesses and developed some ideas ofour own. However we were advisedthat selection was a deaneryresponsibility and that a CoPMedSteering Group for recruitment andselection would be responsible for theprocess. Although we received updateson progress from this group it was noteasy to conceptualize the detail of whatwas being developed. We wereconsulted by the psychology team

contracted to advise the Department ofHealth on selection methodology, andalthough some of our suggestions wereincorporated, many of our wishes couldapparently not be included because ofthe need for consistency betweenspecialties. We never had access to thewhole electronic application form norwere we shown its overall scoringsystem and of course we now regret wewere not more insistent.

As soon as the problems with MTASwere identified we began working withthe Academy of Royal Medical Collegesto find practical solutions to ensure thatappointable candidates were offered theopportunity be interviewed forprogrammes. The review group’sdecision to offer all candidates at leastone interview was one such solution. Werecognised this would not reverse thedamage that has been done and that itdid nothing to reduce the anxiety ofthose who already had interviews whohad to wait longer to hear the outcome.The option of giving everyone fourinterviews, though adopted in Scotland,was unworkable in England.

In view of the low competition ratiosfor paediatrics we tried to persuade theDepartment of Health (England) thatsecond preferences should also beconsidered either by interview or bycascading the results of the firstinterview if the candidate wasappointable. Second interviews weregranted to those deaneries that chose toand we regarded this as a significantgain of flexibility. We were not allowedto cascade interview results for legalreasons and one of the aims for nextyear is to standardise the interviewprocess so that the lawyers – and moreimportantly the trainees – will haveconfidence in the transferability of the

MTAS – what has the College been doing?

Training

Managing editor: Graham Sleight

Editor: Joanne Ball

Email: [email protected]

Editorial services: Chamberlain Dunn Associates

Advertisements: British Medical Journal

Published by the Royal College of Paediatrics andChild Health, 50 Hallam Street, London W1W 6DE Tel: 020 7307 5600, Fax: 020 7307 5601 Website: www.rcpch.ac.uk Email: [email protected] College is a registered charity: no. 1057744

© 2006 Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health. The views expressed inthis newsletter do not necessarily reflect the official positions of the RCPCH.

RCPCH newsCopy deadline for next issue:

1 August 2007

Progress in the College Assessment StrategyThe assessment strategy is the next chapter of the paediatric curriculum, and follows on fromthe competency frameworks. The competency frameworks describe the learning objectives ofthe three stages of a paediatric training programme and each contains many competences.The assessment strategy determines whether these required competences have actually beenachieved. We have submitted this to the Postgraduate Medical and Training AssessmentBoard and are awaiting confirmation of approval.

The first step was to derive standards for assessment. These map to the competences andas with the competency frameworks are based on three levels of training. We then looked atall the potential assessment methods that could be used to test each of these standards. Thisis called developing a blueprint.

The outline of our assessment strategy is summarised in the following diagram:

From this you will see our strategy is a combination of assessment of competence (what atrainee does under controlled conditions) and assessment of performance (what a traineeactually does in the workplace. All this will be underpinned by evidence from the trainer’sreports and from the trainees’ portfolio. The evidence will be triangulated to form an overalljudgement about that trainee.

Most of you will be very familiar with the SPRAT, the multi-source feedback tool we haveused in paediatrics for almost three years. Many of you will also be familiar with the otherworkplace assessment tools), mini CeX (mini clinical evaluation) and CbD (Case Baseddiscussion) which are used in the Foundation Programme and which we have adapted forpaediatrics. You will not all have come across SAIL (Sheffield Instrument for Assessment ofLetters - Med. Ed. Vol 35, No12, Dec 2001) and SHEFFPAT (Sheffield Parent Assessment Tool).We will however be running training days for tutors in June to inform them of all the details onhow to deliver the curriculum, and we hope that they will then arrange training for all thoseinvolved at a local level.

When we developed our blueprint we became aware that there were some assessmentstandards that could not be easily tested by the current methods, particularly at the laterstages of training, and so we are going to pilot some new methods of assessment. One ofthese will be a formal multi-station structured examination.

We are in the process of developing an e-portfolio, through NHS Education for Scotland,and hope that this will be available by August 2007 for trainees entering the run through grade(see the ‘Paediatric e-portfolio’ item on page 6). The portfolio, although not an assessmentinstrument in itself, will underpin learning for the new curriculum and act as a platform fortrainers and trainees to manage the various elements of the assessments required. All traineeswill be required to register with the RCPCH for training and then will then receive access tothe e-portfolio and also access to the necessary workplace assessments which will beadministered centrally through the College.

Although it has been a challenge to ensure we are ready to deliver this for August 2007,we are on target to be ready.

Training RCPCH news

result. We resisted suspension of theinterview process entirely because notonly would it mean thousands of hoursof work by trainees and consultants hadbeen wasted and give applicantsuncertainty about their future for evenlonger, it would risk the health and careof children through an inability to ensurepaediatric departments were adequatelystaffed.

At the time of writing – which is veryearly May – Pat Hamilton and I have justhad another of our weekly meetingswith senior members of the MTAS team.The review group is still carrying out itsdeliberations but our College joined withthe presidents and training leads fromthe RCOG and the RCPsychiatry whoface similar problems of potential under-filling of posts. Our major concern isnow the impact of unfilled posts on theservice in August. At the time of writing,there has been no announcement aboutthe timing of Round 2. Our first concernis that trainees are treated fairly but wecannot appoint people to run-throughtraining if they are not suitable and thusour next concern is the impact onservice. We are pressing for locallyappointed short-term specialist trainingposts to cover any gaps between round1 and round 2. We hope to be able tomake changes to the shortlisting processfor round 2 though have been told thatmajor changes will not be allowed. Wehave asked regional advisers andcouncillors to help us devise theminimum change we feel is necessary tomake it acceptable. Next year must andwill look very different.

The RCPCH is in control of thecurriculum and its assessment processand will be much more activelyengaged in the selection process. Weare continuing to work through theAcademy of Royal Medical Collegeswith the Department of Health toensure successful completion ofapplications for 2007. Equallyimportantly we are already thinkingabout the necessary more radicalchanges that will be needed for 2008 toensure we have an application systemthat has been developed by theprofession and in which the profession,and the public, can have confidence.

Mary McGrawVICE PRESIDENT, TRAINING AND ASSESSMENT

ST1

ST2

ST3

ST4

ST5

ST6

ST7

ST8

Multi-source feedback annuallyMini CexCBD

Multi-source feedback annuallyCBDMini CexSAIL

Multi-source feedback annuallyCBD (with external validation)Mini CexSAILSHEFFPAT

MRCPCH part 1

MRCPCH part 2written

MRCPCH clinical

RCPCH ASSESSMENT ROAD MAP

Assessment of competence Assessment of performance

Structured paediatricexamination

Po

rtfolio

and

traine

rs rep

orts

DO

PS

as req

uire

d

Colour code key of RCPCH assessment road map

Black: Assessments validated for use in paediatrics.Red: Assessments modified to be appropriate for paediatrics at this level of training and being piloted.Blue: Assessments modified for paediatrics at different stages of training and not currently being piloted at this level.Green: Assessments under development for future piloting.

News

We are in the process of developing apaediatric e-portfolio, through collaborationwith the Yorkshire School of Paediatrics andNHS Education for Scotland. The portfolio,although not an assessment instrument itself,will underpin learning from the new curriculumand acts as a platform for trainers and traineesto manage various elements of the assessmentsrequired. We are focussing on getting thetrainee and educational supervision componentsof the e-portfolio right. There have been concerns

voiced that previous portfolio’s have been toofocused on assessment and at the expense ofeducation and learning. The e-portfolio willaim to be trainee centred and user friendly.We hope to balance the need for trainees tohave personal space that is private and inaccessibleto other users and organisations with the needto have a record of successful training andsatisfactory completion of competencies inorder to inform progression to CCT.

The portfolio will have a number of sections

that are accessible to the trainee. Many of thesewill be set as private by default and traineeswill elect to submit a number of entries forsupervision and appraisal. Access to the relevantcurriculum and assessment reports will guidethe process of educational supervision and aidformulation of personal development plans. Itwill also be particularly useful as a record ofreflective writing in different contexts, for examplecritical incidents, child protection reports,teaching and presentations, audit and clinicalgovernance. There is an in-built messagingsystem to allow programme directors, educationalsupervisors and trainees to communicate moreefficiently. There will be facilities to post local,regional and national training events and alerts.MRCPCH exams reports and advanced lifesupport certificates will be electronically loggedwithin the e-portfolio. Trainees will be able tokeep an accurate and up to date record oftraining posts that will greatly enhance theadministration of CCT applications.

The first version will be on display in Juneat the RCPCH Training the Trainers day fortutors. Feedback from this meeting will informmodifications prior to the pilot launch inAugust 2007.

Simon Frazer NATIONAL LEAD FOR PAEDIATRIC E-PORTFOLIO

BRADFORD TEACHING HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST

Less than fulltime training (LTFT) is now thepreferred term for working part time but it doesn’ttrip off the tongue as easily as flexible training.The flexible working group of COPMeD continuesto meet 6 monthly and performed 2 surveys ofLTFT trainees in 2006. Numbers of LTFT traineesare staying relatively constant. Following a wellattended meeting of Flexible co-ordinators inDecember 2006 and the Flexible Forum at theYork Spring meeting a number of key factorsemerged regarding LTFT.• The demand for LTFT in Paediatrics is unlikely

to be changed by a 48-hour working week aspart of EWTD in 2009. This is because it is notonly total hours worked which are importantbut the way in which those hours are worked.For example those in LTFT tend to work setdays giving clearly identified time for the reasonthey are working LTFT – usually due tochildcare commitments or ill health.

• Paediatrics has the highest percentage of LTFTSpRs in a single specialty with the October 2006flexible training survey showing 18% of those in

LTFT at SpR level work in Paediatrics. GP VTSwas most popular amongst LTFT SHOs withPaediatrics amongst the top 5 specialties.

• There are a lot of concerns about how LTFT willbe affected by MMC. At SHO level, like full timetrainees, getting a post has been uppermost intrainees’ minds. However the additional worryis, that after successfully jumping the hurdles ofshortlisting and interviews, the post may be delayeddue to lack of flexible funding, slotshare partneror unsuitable geographically placed slotshare.

• Funding for LTFT varies by Deanery. SomeDeaneries have waiting lists, often of 6 monthsor more. The majority of Deaneries place thosein LTFT in slotshares (2 trainees occupy a fulltime slot) and whenever possible 3 traineesoccupy 2 full time slots. The amount the Trustreceives from the Deanery is againgeographically variable (E.g. for a 60% traineein a slotshare funding for the Trust ranges from60% to 100% depending on Deanery).

• PMETB approval of posts. This will be simplifiedfor those in LTFT in August 2007 with part timetraining posts being approved along with fulltime posts.

• There are very few Consultant posts advertised

as part time. This causes anxiety for those whohave been in LTFT, having to negotiate reducedsessions and the feeling that this will disadvantagethem. A number of part time Consultant postswere set up in Paediatrics when the Flexible CareersScheme provided pump priming for such posts.

NHS Employers vision is that LTFT (flexible training)will be mainstreamed and part of normal workingpractice. It should also be possible to progressquicker now competencies are considered ratherthan strictly pro rata as 10 years or more as a SpRis a long time. I feel that we have beenencouraging as a college of LTFT and this is anaccepted practice in Paediatrics. The challenge forthe months ahead is to make LTFT even moreaccessible, perhaps not an inconsiderable one withall that is changing in medical training.

Helen GoodyearRCPCH FLEXIBLE

TRAINING ADVISER FOR

ENGLAND AND WALES

Paediatric e-portfolio

Less than full time training

News RCPCH news

A new report on standards of care for childrenin Emergency Departments has been publishedby RCPCH on behalf of an intercollegiate groupfor children’s emergency care. This replaces the1999 version, sometimes known as “the redbook”. Over 3 million children per year attendEmergency Departments (EDs) in the UK,equating to 25-30% of all ED attendances. Theoriginal “red book” was well received andwidely used in the UK to improve the care ofchildren in Accident and Emergency Departments.Despite improvement in many areas, some ofthe recommended standards have still not beenachieved. This 2007 version brings therecommendations up to date with current practiceand takes into account recent policy initiativesand ongoing rises in children’s ED attendances.

There are over 60 recommendations,encompassing service design, assessment,treatment, staffing and training, child protection,sudden unexpected death in infancy, childrenin Major Incidents and information systems. It isan essential read for clinicians, commissioners,providers and regulators of services. Therecommendations are also relevant to otherUrgent Care facilities such as Walk-in Centresand Primary Care Centres.

Clearly the recommendations need to beimplemented and the RCPCH has recentlybeen awarded a tender by the Healthcare

Commission todevelop atoolkit to auditthe quality ofchildren’s carein EDs. Suchan audit shouldprovide theappropriatebasis forcontinuingimprovementand fullimplementation

of these new recommendations.

The report can be downloaded atwww.rcpch.ac.uk/Health-Services/Emergency-Care.

Susan MitchellHEAD OF HEALTH SERVICES

Key recommendations:

• All front line staff working with children mustbe competent in the basic skills for safe practice.

• All children attending EDs must be visuallyassessed within minutes of arrival.

• All staff working in facilities where childrenpresent must be trained in paediatric basic lifesupport.

• Nurses working in emergency care settings inwhich children are seen require at least basiccompetence in both emergency nursing skillsand skills in the care of children.

• All hospitals receiving acutely ill or injuredchildren must have the facilities and staffrequired to establish high dependency care,and intensive level care for airway andrespiratory support.

• EDs seeing more that 16,000 children perannum should employ a consultant with sub-speciality training in paediatric emergencymedicine.

• Hospitals with an in-patient children’s unit,where the ED sees more than 16,000 childrenper annum, should appoint a consultantpaediatrician with sub-speciality training inPaediatric Emergency Medicine.

• Commissioners and providers must worktogether to provide safe urgent care networkfor children in a geographical, taking localneeds into account.

Following a long and distinguished career as apaediatrician, author and editor, Dr BernardValman has been honoured by having hisportrait commissioned by colleagues at NorthwickPark Hospital. He is shown at the unveiling ofthe portrait in the Bernard Valman Seminar Roomat Northwick Park Hospital earlier this year.

Bernard has recently retired as HonoraryArchivist to RCPCH, a position he held from1995-2007. He was instrumental in the design of the coat of arms of the RCPCH which isdisplayed in the background of his portrait andhe is depicted holding a bound volume ofArchives of Disease in Childhood. He was Editor 1982-1995, and Commissioning Editor1995-2000, and helped to shape the Archives ofDisease in Childhood into what is now regardedas the leading journal of Paediatrics and ChildHealth in Europe. Bernard’s portrait was paintedby Dr Bing Jones who is an associate specialistin transfusion medicine in Sheffield, as well as a

professional portrait painter who has nowacquired a substantial portfolio of portraits ofleading medical professionals.

Bernard Valman was also a regionalrepresentative and member of Council 1979-1982,and member of the Academic Board 1985-1995,of the British Paediatric Association. In his role asRCPCH Archivist, Bernard Valman also produceda DVD in 2004 entitled An Early History ofPaediatrics and Child Health in Britain. In theDVD, he is shown interviewing the pioneeringpaediatrician Dr Beryl Corner at the age of 92years, and facilitating her reminiscences of thepaediatricians who are shown attending earlyBPA annual meetings in a movie film taken byDr George Davison in the 1930s.

Professor Alan Craft has taken over the roleof Honorary Archivist to RCPCH from 2007.

Ros Thomas

Services for Children in Emergency Departments 2007

A report by the Intercollegiate Committee for Servicesto Children in Emergency Departments

Tribute to Dr Bernard Valman, RCPCH Honorary Archivist 1995-2007

Again the College has been involved in manyof the top health news stories recently. Inearly March, Patricia Hamilton did the mediarounds, commenting on the HealthcareCommission’s report on the state of children’shospital services. She fitted in BBCBreakfast, the Today programme, Radio 5Live and BBC News 24, together with beingquoted in many of the national newspapers.

Press Panel member, Martin Ward-Platt,spoke to the Daily Telegraph about a six-monthold boy who had already started walking. Therewere obituaries for Beryl Corner and NevilleButler in many national newspapers too.

The RCPCH Annual Meeting provided achance to publicise the BPSU’s current studyon early onset eating disorders in childrenand the Evening Standard was given anexclusive to print the most up-to-date results.Dasha Nicolls, one of the lead investigators forthis study, was interviewed on Radio 5 Liveas a result of the Evening Standard’s article, andmany national and local newspapers up anddown the UK covered the story too.

Hospital Doctor reported that the Collegewas ‘going green’ after the AGM motion passedat the Annual Meeting. They also spoke toPatricia Hamilton about the Medical Women’sFederation, as it celebrates its 90th anniversarythis year - they asked, ‘do female doctors stillneed it?’

Into May, Terence Stephenson spoke toBBC Online about new research on palliativecare from Great Ormand Street Hospital. Theresearchers wanted to see how often the RCPCHguidance on witholding or withdrawing lifesustaining treatment in children was actuallyused. Other College publications have attractedmedia interest too – the recently publishedServices for children in emergency departmentsreceived a mention in the Evening Standard.

To keep up-to-date with news articlesthat mention or quote the RCPCH, or to stayinformed about what is going on withinpaediatrics and child health, visit the websitefor a regular summary of articles -www.rcpch.ac.uk

Claire BrunertHEAD OF MEDIA

Contemporary paediatric practice increasinglyproduces ethical uncertainties for clinicians andfamilies and requires value judgements toresolve them. Paediatric cases formed over50% of those reported to a survey undertakenby the UK Clinical Ethics Network. Attendancesat the Ethics and Law session of the College’sSpring meeting have increased, with this year’sdebate on whether children should receivepreferential intensive care in the event ofpandemic flu being especially well attended.Nationally both specific cases e.g. CharlotteWyatt, MB (SMA case), and issues, e.g. thereports on the Alder Hey and Bristol inquiriesand the professional conduct of expert witnesses,have attracted considerable interest and debate.It seems clear that decisions requiring valuejudgements (like their scientific counterparts)should be ethically justified, reasonable,responsible, transparent and accountable andshould be properly analysed and assessed.Although ethics has been part of the undergraduatemedical curriculum for some years, manyclinicians, of all grades, have expressed a needfor advice support and training when confrontedwith ethical uncertainty.

The Ethics Advisory Committee (EAC) is amultidisciplinary group that includesrepresentatives from medicine surgery andnursing, ethics and law as well as lay members.It has provided ethical advice, opinions andsupport to those officers, fellows and membersof the College who request it, though itsguidance is non-prescriptive.

However, EAC has produced nationallyaccepted guidance on withholding andwithdrawing life sustaining treatment (1997 &2004), commercial sponsorship (1999) andhas contributed to others e.g. on doctors’duties of confidentiality in child protection.

The EAC is also asked to comment onspecific issues where the College opinion hasbeen sought. Recent examples include theNuffield Council on Bioethics ConsultationDocument on Prolonging the Life of Fetusesand the Newborn, and proposals to reformthe 1990 Human Fertilisation and EmbryologyAct with especial reference to the welfare ofchildren conceived.

Members have also represented the Collegeon Department of Health working groupsincluding the Children’s Record Development

Group and that charged with producing anethical framework for managing Pandemic flu.

More recently the EAC has discussed therelevance of the MB judgement with respectto defining best interests for paediatriciansand the need to produce advice on obtainingconsent. In response to a request from aFellow, the EAC has facilitated the productionof guidance for physicians and surgeonswhen confronted with newborns withintestinal failure, however caused.

There have been requests that the EACshould be more proactive and take a greaterstrategic role in postgraduate training in ethics.We therefore intend to survey SpRs in the firstinstance, to define what training needs existand how they are currently met. Work is alsoin progress to define core ethical competenciesfor clinicians so that they are better equippedto deal with dilemmas and uncertainty.

Some years ago Baroness Warnockunsuccessfully proposed the establishment ofa National Ethics Committee. Should there besuch a national committee for children andwhat role should the RCPCH play? Let usknow your views.

Is providing ethical support dreamy idealism…

Or practical gritty reality?

Vic LarcherCHAIR, ETHICS COMMITTEE

Media

roundup

The College’s Ethics

Advisory Committee

News

News RCPCH news

The 11th Spring Meeting took place 26-29 Marchin York. Despite being earlier than at any time formany years, the meeting was blessed with glorious,warm sunshine which raised the spirits andshowed the campus at its verdant, Spring-time best.

The Academic Board had organised a richprogramme. Professor Stephen O’Rahilly fromCambridge gave the 2007 George Frederic StillMemorial Lecture on ‘Obesity and diabetes:lessons from the extremes’. There were symposiaon ADHD, obesity management and one entitled‘Common bugs – complicated problems’. SophieAuckland, the College’s Participation Manager,facilitated a symposium on ‘Communication Works!’.

There will be no CD following this year’smeeting - instead, we are planning to makehighlights available on the College website.Although feedback on the CD has been consistentlypositive, the Academic Board decided that thenumber of responses received did not justifythe cost of producing and circulating a CD.

There were clinical guidelines sessionswhich focused on the NICE guideline on type1 diabetes, and two RCPCH guidelines onretinopathy of prematurity and hypernatremia.The ever popular early morning PersonalPractice Sessions were successfully repeatedat lunchtime. Most of the specialty groupshad scientific sessions or joint sessions.

There was a wealth of activity outside thestrictly scientific programme. The Registrar rana debate on ‘This house believes that the distinctionbetween primary and secondary care paediatriciansis an artificial one’. There was an update onthe National Neonatal Audit Programme andChild in Mind taster workshops. The AdvocacyCommittee, International Child Health Group

and Child Protection Special Interest Groupheld an evening session on the United Nationsstudy on violence against children. There wasa very successful Clinical Effectiveness workshopon how to develop a good guideline.

The Academic Board is keen to encouragetrainees to attend the meeting and this yearintroduced a 15% discount on their registration fees.

Contrary to what some may think, the SpringMeeting does not make a profit for the College.Income barely covers costs and overheads. TheEducation Department is constantly looking toreduce costs without compromising the qualityof the meeting. The College used to employa commercial company to handle registrations.This year saw this process being brought backin-house, using state of the art software; a movewhich affected significant cost savings and allowedregistration fees in 2007 to be held at 2006 levels.

During the final plenary session, thePresident presented the James Spence Medalsto Professor Victor Dubowitz, and certificates tothis year’s Honorary Fellows.

There were two musical activities. Dr JohnEllis gave an organ recital of works by Bach andHandel. In a concert preceding the AnnualDinner, the College orchestra and choir performedMozart’s Posthorn Serenade and the BachMagnificat. The event raised £200 for charity.

Dr Sheila Shribman was guest speaker atthe Annual Dinner which was held at thespectacular Merchant Adventurers’ Hall. Awarm and convivial end to an exciting week.

Chris Verity Rosalind ToppingVICE-PRESIDENT (EDUCATION) HEAD OF EDUCATION

Spring Meeting

Annual Dinner Reception at the MerchantAdventurers’ Hall, York.

Preparing for a Young Expert PatientsProgramme workshop.

University of York, Central Hall. College orchestra & choir conducted by James Ross.

Conference attendees in conversation betweensessions.

Annual Dinner Reception at the MerchantAdventurers’ Hall, York.

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Young people have a say about what you sayThere was something different at the Yorkconference this year with a session led byyoung people from the Young Expert PatientsProgramme (YEPP.) The morning workshopslooked at the skill and significance ofcommunication skills between doctor and patient.

We started with a DVD produced by Barnetand Chase Farm NHS and a group of youngpatients, accompanied with a presentation by Dr Bob Klaber. He outlined its purpose as anintroduction to communicating with children forany health professional new to the children’s ward.Secondly, Dr Bryony Beresford discussed thefindings of a piece of research with chronically illyoung people on the issue of what informationneeds they had and who can provide it. Lastly,Miriam Morris gave an overview of the YEPPproject which is designed to build confidencein young people with long term conditions.Andrew Walker, 15 and Gabi Howard, also 15then presented their views on the importanceof good communication (for both doctors and patients) and answered questions from the audience.

If you would like anymore informationabout any of the presentations please contactme at the usual address.

New website...Along with the launch of the new RCPCHwebsite you may have noticed an additionalarea for children and young people. The aimof this part of the site is to engage CYP inCollege activities and to provide a platform forthem to share their views and experiences ofhealth related issues. Already we are receivingapplications to the Youth Advisory Panel,articles for the Youth Journalist monthlycompetition and responses to the consultationon passive smoking. Promotional leaflets havebeen sent out to the majority of paediatriccentres, but if you would like to have a supplyplease contact me at the email address below.

Although the website is designed for CYP,we hope that members will also browse thepages from time to time to look at some of theissues being raised and the findings ofconsultations and discussions. You may havequestions about a certain topic which we canraise through the website, and we would behappy to hear any suggestions of this [email protected]

Patients’ and Carers’ Advisory Group (PCAG) Our aim is to: • promote the participation of patients and carers • facilitate their access to information about

their health care • inform and advise Council of the public

perspective of paediatrics and child health.

‘Our central message remains that parents andprofessionals must work together and understandeach other’s needs in order to meet the needsof children and young people in their care.’*

It was a pleasure to meet so many of youat the York Conference. Thank you to all thosethat took part in the Booklist Competition. We will be adding all the new entries to theexisting list of recommended reads for aspiringand confirmed paediatricians, which will beavailable on the PCAG area of the website indue course. We are happy to announce thewinner of the top ten books as Dr Rachel Cox,Research Fellow in Paediatric Oncology at theUniversity of Wales for her suggestion ofHannah’s Gift. Rachel describes the book as ‘aheart-wrenching story of a young girl withterminal cancer – a real eye opener describinghow much very young children understandabout illness and death.’ The book can befound in most bookshops and we will alsostock a copy at the College for anyone wishingto borrow it. Congratulations Rachel!

* Source: CASCade November 1991

Sally Carroll CHAIR OF PCAG

As you may be aware, following our “Comingout of the Shadows” consultation work withchildren & young people (CYP) to ask how theythemselves might be involved in the activitiesof the RCPCH, the College appointed SophieAuckland as our first Children’s ParticipationManager eighteen months ago. Sophie nowworks with many different College Committeesto promote CYP involvement, and I have beenrecently appointed as Assistant to the Registrarto help in this process.

We would very much wish to establish a robustframework of consultation so that the opinionsof CYP can inform College recommendations,practices and policies with respect to issuesthat are important to their health and wellbeing.However, and alongside this, it will be importantto gain the opinions from those health professionals,both in the community and hospital setting,who provide for and recommend on healthcare for children & young people.

To facilitate this aim, the RCPCH isestablishing a Children’s & Young People’sConsultation Advisory Group, to be co-Chaired by Sophie Auckland & myself, withthe aim of this group acting as a soundingboard for consultations and also playing anactive role in policy development. As such,this group would report to the RCPCH Patients& Carers’ Advisory Group, and thence to theRegistrar & Policy Officer.

We would like to ensure that this grouprepresents all regions of the UK by establishinga multi-disciplinary group or network for eachregion. We would envisage that these regionalgroups will help to inform and implement ourstrategy for CYP participation, and also be willingto meet with Sophie Auckland or another facilitatoras part of consultation exercises occasionally.In the first instance, our key spearhead projectis on tackling childhood obesity, but we are alsodeveloping work on adolescent vaccination and

accidental death. Our work in these areas willhelp to establish a template for consultation andpolicy development over the next few years.

We are asking for the help of healthprofessionals as either conveners who will helpto facilitate the formation of local groups of some10-12 persons, or as supportive members of thesame local groups. We would look to meet withthe group conveners to exchange views andinformation centrally at the College on an annualbasis. If you are interested in helping with thisnew advisory group, then please contact SophieAuckland at the College ([email protected]) or myself at ([email protected]). We are committed to the fullinvolvement of CYP and health professionals inthe evolution of College policies and practices,and you can help us fulfil the commitment bysupporting this initiative.

Eddy Estlin ASSISTANT TO THE REGISTRAR

Participation

RCPCH Children’s & Young People’sParticipation Advisory Group

Involving children

Young Patient Participants NeededThe next step in looking at communication skills is tofacilitate workshops with young patients aged between11 and 18 in order to develop an adolescent perspective.

Research RCPCH news

I hope you will be interested in a project weare undertaking to provide good qualityinformation about children’s medicines forparents and young people.

The publication, jointly by the RoyalCollege of Paediatrics and Child Health andthe Neonatal and Paediatric PharmacistsGroup, of Medicines for Children raised theprofile of the widespread use of unlicensedand off label use of drugs in children. Thesuccess of this publication led directly to thepublication of the new British NationalFormulary for Children (BNF-C). However,there is still a clear need for betterinformation about children’s medicines forparents and children to complement theinformation contained in the statutory PatientInformation Leaflet (PIL) and to fill a gap inthe existing consumer market. Previousresearch has shown that PILs are oftencouched in technical language and may bemisleading – if, for example, the PIL states“Not to be given to children” if the medicineis unlicensed for children.

The aim of the project is to establish a

sustainable process of producing anddisseminating information on children’smedicines for parents and older children(over 12 years of age). We plan to do this byproducing a series of information leaflets tobe made widely available to parents, youngpeople, prescribers and dispensers.

The project is a joint venture between theRCPCH and the Neonatal and PaediatricPharmacists Group with help from the charityWellChild. We have invited all potentialstakeholders to register with us and we willensure all stakeholders are kept informed andare up to date with the project’s progress.

The project board has decided that the initialfocus should be to produce information ondrugs used to treat conditions where there area combination of licensed, unlicensed and (insome cases) over-the-counter medications used.This combination may add to public confusion.

The three disorders that have beenselected for this initial 12-month project are:‘epilepsy’, ‘constipation’ and ‘pain relief’.

Three Clinical Working Groups have beenconvened and are made up of specialists in

child health and paediatric pharmacy. Theirinitial task will be to reach a consensus anddraw up a list of the top 10 drugs used forthat condition (which may include bothlicensed and unlicensed drugs). Leaflets willthen be devised for these ten drugs.

The draft leaflets will be prepared in astandard format which will aim for a readingage of 12 years, as recommended for allinformation disseminated to the public, andideally have as much pictorial content aspossible. The draft leaflets will then bereviewed by a panel of project membersincluding parent representatives until they areagreed, approved and ready for publication.

We hope that what we learn from thisinitial pilot exercise will allow us to producefurther leaflets relating to other commonlyused medicines which will help avoid confusionamong children and parents in the future.

Terence StephensonVICE-PRESIDENT, RESEARCH & SCIENCE

Information leaflets for children’s medicines

In May 2007, the National CollaboratingCentre for Women’s and Children’s Healthpublished Feverish illness in children:assessment and initial management in childrenup to 5 years, as part of its new programme.

The guideline covers an important areafor both health professionals and parents.Feverish illness in young children is one ofthe most common reasons for admission tohospital, and diagnosis can be particularlychallenging for healthcare professionals.

The guideline will be of value of to bothpaediatricians and parents and coversthe following aspects of care:

• The accuracy of different measurementsof body temperature.

• In a child presenting with fever,identification of signs and symptoms.

• Identification of clinical signs and symptomsthat would direct the healthcare professionalto carry out further investigations.

• Indications for when a treatment shouldbe commenced for a child presentingwith fever.

The guideline is available on the NICEwebsite at: www.nice.org.uk

New guideline on feverish illness in young children

Wellchild Award –nominations open

Nominations are now open for the WellchildResearcher Award, which aims to recognise aresearcher who has made a significant impact on child health in 2006. Nominations shouldcomprise a 500-word summary of theresearcher’s contributions, plus details of anyrelevant publications. They should be sent toProfessor Terence Stephenson, c/o the RCPCHResearch Division, or via email [email protected] by nolater than 29th June

Trainees

MMC and MTASThe last two months for many trainees havebeen dominated by the problems with MTAS.Following a meeting at the Academy of theMedical Royal Colleges on 5th March, anurgent meeting was called with the Secretaryof State for Health, Patricia Hewitt, topresent her with the serious problemsencountered with applications through MTASby both trainees and shortlisting panels.

A review panel was set up to identify theproblem areas and attempt to find a solutionwhich was equitable and fair for trainees withthe primary aim of identifying the best traineesfor posts. Trainees have been represented byDr. Paul Dimitri, Chair of the Academy of theMedical Royal Colleges Trainees Group, andDr. Jo Hilborne, Chair of the BMA JuniorDoctors Committee. Both representativesmaintain the aim of achieving the best deal fortrainees. Negotiating on this basis hasremained difficult in the light of deliverabilityof the process in a short time scale, whilstpreventing detriment to service provision.

A statement was made by the Reviewpanel on 4th April allowing all eligible

candidates that had applied to posts inEngland to be interviewed for their firstchoice based upon a re-preferencing round.Eligible applicants that had chosen posts inScotland and Wales would be invited toattend interview.

We are aware that the process will havemoved forward considerably by the time you read this. Furthermore, problems withMTAS have raised concerns about MMC. An independent review of MMC, led byProfessor Sir John Tooke, Chair of theCouncil of Heads of Medical Schools, isabout to commence Trainee representativesare currently involved in discussionsregarding round 2. Round 2 must lookconsiderably different to round 1. Again wemust ensure that round 2 is equitable andfair, with a view to maximising choice fortrainees to ensure the best candidates receivetraining posts.

GridFrom December to March this year, traineeshave applied to the NTN subspecialty Grid.Posts have now been allocated. In this

newsletter we have included one trainees’experience of the Grid application process.

Committee NewsAs trainees become consultants the make upof our committee is constantly changing. We are endeavouring to keep our committeedetails up to date on the website. By thetime we go to print, we hope to have set upa trainees forum – we will keep you posted.Paul Dimitri is becoming chair as MarthaWyles is demitting. We are awaiting theappointment of a new Vice Chair.

National Workforce Projects have agreed tofund a project that will be undertaken jointlyby the Royal College of Obstetricians andGynaecologists and the Royal College ofPaediatricians and Child Health to assess thereadiness for the 2009 implementation of theWorking Time Directive.

In 2004 the maximum number of hoursthat doctors in training could be resident inthe hospital was reduced to 58 hours eachweek. The rota issues that resulted from thisdirective were largely solved by extrafunding and an increase in the number ofresident doctors. In August 2009, themaximum number of resident hours will bereduced to 48 and it is highly unlikely thatthe same solutions will be applicable to thisphase of the directive. The Colleges will beundertaking a survey to assess the impact ofthese changes on Obstetrics and PaediatricServices and to look at the possibleconsequences for safety, training,sustainability and cost for any proposed

staffing models. During June and July, the project officers

from each College will contact the clinicallead for their specialty in all hospitals inEngland that provide an Obstetric or ChildHealth Service and they will be asked totake part in this survey. The survey willeither be a telephone or postal/e-mailquestionnaire. For those taking part in thetelephone questionnaire the data for some ofthe questions may be needed prior to theinterview and copy of the questionnaireindicating these areas will be sent to theclinical lead at least one week before theinterview takes place

Once data has been collected, eachCollege will host panel meetings with widestakeholder representation so that theimplications for current services or plannedreconfiguration of services can be studiedand recommendations offered for therobustness of these arrangements in terms ofcompliance, safety, sustainability, training

and cost when the final phase of theWorking Time Directive is introduced.

It is anticipated that the data collectionand analysis will be completed by April 2008when the report and findings will be madewidely available.

The 2009 Directive will have a majoreffect on shaping obstetric and paediatricservices in England and it is extremelyimportant that the Colleges have a fullunderstanding of its implications. Theassistance of paediatric clinical leads isessential to developing that understanding.

Progress on the project will be regularlyupdated on the College website:www.rcpch.ac.uk/workforce

Dr David ShortlandOFFICER FOR WORKFORCE PLANNING

Martin McColganWORKFORCE INFORMATION OFFICER

Trainees’ column

Children’s and maternity services in 2009: Working time solutionsJoint Project with RCOG

Martha Wyles [email protected]

Paul Dimitri [email protected]

Meetings RCPCH news

UK meetings andcourses200722 June Child Protection Special Interest GroupPaediatric GynaecologyVenue: Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, LiverpoolContact: Gill Kennedy Tel: 0151 252 5103 Fax: 0151 252 5103Email: [email protected]: www.cpsig.org.uk/meetings_events.php

26 June Allergy in childrenVenue: The Royal Society of Medicine, LondonContact: Andrea TorokTel: 020 7290 2986 Fax: 020 7290 2989Email: [email protected]:www.rsm.ac.uk/academ/smtpaedi.php#june

2-3 JulyPICCTS (Paediatric and Infant Critical CareTransport Course)Venue: Glenfield Hospital, LeicesterContact: Sam Whitfield - Conference Co-ordinatorTel: 0116 2502305Email: [email protected]

16 July (2 days)Transfer of the sick and premature infantVenue: The Studio - Sampsons, DevonContact: Lyn ShorterTel: 077 9062 5950Email: [email protected]

16-19 JulyTechniques & Applications of Molecular BiologyTel: 024 7652 3540Email: [email protected]:www.warwick.ac.uk/go/bioscienceshortcourses

3 September (2 days) Recognition and management of the sick neonateVenue: CambridgeContact: Lyn ShorterTel: 07790625950Email: [email protected]

17-18 September PICCTS (Paediatric and Infant Critical CareTransport Course)Venue: Glenfield Hospital, LeicesterContact: Sam Whitfield - Conference Co-ordinatorTel: 0116 2502305Email: [email protected]

20-21 September Paediatric Cardiology for PaediatriciansVenue: University of ExeterTel: 01392 490470Email: [email protected] [email protected]

20-21 September Paediatric acute sexual assault examinationand aftercare (two days)Venue: St. Mary’s Hospital, London Contact: Aidan Moss, Training co-ordinatorTel: 020 7886 1101Email: [email protected]: www.thehavens.co.uk

21 September Masterclass 2007 - 'Comparative KeywordAnalysis: A Computer-Assisted Method forthe Qualitative Analysis of Text'

Venue: School of Medicine, SwanseaUniversity, SwanseaContact: Ms Vicky DaviesTel: 01792 513407Email: [email protected]: www.swansea.ac.uk/chiral/events

25-26 September The Autumn Meeting of APEM Call for abstracts: closing date 1 June 2007Venue: Sheffield Town HallContact: Dr Eileen ByrneTel: 0151 228 4811Email: [email protected] (abstracts);[email protected](applications for the meeting)Website: www.apem.me.uk

Worldwide meetingsand courses200725-30 August 25th International Congress of PediatricsVenue: AC&C International S.A.1A Pierias str, 14451, Metamorfossi, Athens,GreeceTel: +30 210 6889 130Fax: +30 210 6844 777Email: [email protected]: www.icp2007.gr

9-12 SeptemberWorld Congress 2007 - Pedriatic SurgeonsVenue: Hotel Hilton, Buenos Aires, ArgentinaTel: + 54 11 4322 5707Email: [email protected]: www.pedsurg2007.org.ar

RCPCH meetings

SASG NewsAs a SASG committee, we are always keen to hearwhat issues are currently exercising the minds ofthe SASG paediatric workforce. We have severalmechanisms to facilitate this. Each region has aSASG regional representative. Their role is to flagup SASG issues at the regional committee meetings.These representatives also attend an annualbusiness meeting at the College where they canraise issues directly with the SASG committee. Wehave a SASG business lunch at the College meetingat York open to all SASG paediatricians.

This year we used part of this meeting forworkshops to identify the issues that SASG

workforce would like us to focus on. Notsurprisingly the main issues were aroundModernising Medical Careers and PMETB. The SASGinformation day is another opportunity for SASGpaediatrician to meet with the SASG committee. Thisyear our Information Day will be on 31.10.07. Topicswill include “How to collect a porfolio for PMETB”and “How MMC affects SASG paediatricians”. Pleasesee the flyer sent out with this publication.

The Council of the RCPCH is the Governingbody of the RCPCH. SASG doctors are representedin two ways. Each region has a representative onCouncil who represents all the paediatricians intheir region including the SASG doctors. Also, there

are two seats on Council for Associate Members ofthe College. Often the Associate Member reps areSASG doctors and will raise issues pertinent to theSASGs. The College is currently seeking nominationsfor an Associate Member on Council. The nominationflyer is now available on the College website. Itwould be great if someone from the SASG groupapplied. I look forward to meeting you at our SASGinformation day.

Dr Natalie Lyth CHAIR, SASG COMMITTEE

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RCPCH Newsletter 07 Summer

Documents

Transcript of RCPCH Newsletter 07 Summer