Modernising Children’s Health Services in the Western Isles

NHS Western Isles will commence a recruitment process for a Consultant Paediatrician working across the community and hospital settings, after the Board agreed its preferred model for children’s services.

At a Board meeting today (Thursday), members considered three options for children’s services. Option 1 was to continue with a consultant paediatrician model based within the hospital; option 2 was to appoint a consultant paediatrician based across the hospital and community settings, working within a wider clinical network; and option 3 was to provide children’s services without a locally based consultant paediatrician.

Board members considered the advantages and disadvantages of each of the options, and agreed that option 2, as recommended by the Board’s Medical Director, would provide the most sustainable and effective service for the local population.

A review of children’s services was undertaken by NHS Western Isles earlier this year, in partnership with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. The aim of the review was to describe service models to deliver safe and sustainable services within the Western Isles for children and young people within acute and community settings, taking into account of the views of the children, families and professionals in both health and partner agencies.

Whilst options 1 and 3 were both feasible, the advantages of option 2 included the provision of support for other clinicians, a comprehensive service both within and out with the hospital, and continuity of care both during acute illnesses and long-term care. The consultant paediatrician would also be supported in the delivery of unscheduled care by the Children’s on Call Doctors team, and supported externally by a peer network from NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

NHS Western Isles Medical Director Dr James Ward said: “Our key aim is to provide a safe, equitable and sustainable service for children and young people within both acute and community settings. Children and families should be able to access a service that is as close to home as possible, clinically safe, of high quality, effective and efficient. We can best achieve this by redesigning services to enable the consultant to work both within and outside the acute facility.”

Dr Ward pointed out that an essential component of ensuring support to the consultant will be to position them within a wider clinical network for peer support. Work will now be undertaken to develop the wider child health team in partnership with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, to further enhance the local service with specialist mainland support arrangements.