England's A&E departments get new warning system for sick children

England's A&E departments get new warning system for sick children

England's A&E departments get new warning system for sick children

Hospital emergency departments across England are introducing a new National Paediatric Early Warning System to spot children whose condition is getting worse while they wait for care. Staff will check and grade vital signs such as blood pressure, heart rate, breathing rate and oxygen levels, giving each child an overall score, with a high score signalling a need for more urgent attention. Concerns raised by staff, parents, carers or the child themselves will trigger an immediate step-up in care. The system, developed with NHS England, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health and the Royal College of Nursing, is being rolled out ahead of winter, alongside an expansion of Martha's Rule to every emergency department in England, giving families the right to ask for a rapid review when they worry a patient's condition is worsening.

Hospital emergency departments across England are introducing a new National Paediatric Early Warning System to spot children whose condition is getting worse while they wait for care. Staff will check and grade vital signs such as blood pressure, heart rate, breathing rate and oxygen levels, giving each child an overall score, with a high score signalling a need for more urgent attention. Concerns raised by staff, parents, carers or the child themselves will trigger an immediate step-up in care. The system, developed with NHS England, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health and the Royal College of Nursing, is being rolled out ahead of winter, alongside an expansion of Martha's Rule to every emergency department in England, giving families the right to ask for a rapid review when they worry a patient's condition is worsening.

Hospital emergency departments across England are introducing a new National Paediatric Early Warning System to spot children whose condition is getting worse while they wait for care. Staff will check and grade vital signs such as blood pressure, heart rate, breathing rate and oxygen levels, giving each child an overall score, with a high score signalling a need for more urgent attention. Concerns raised by staff, parents, carers or the child themselves will trigger an immediate step-up in care. The system, developed with NHS England, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health and the Royal College of Nursing, is being rolled out ahead of winter, alongside an expansion of Martha's Rule to every emergency department in England, giving families the right to ask for a rapid review when they worry a patient's condition is worsening.