Communication with Executive Team re children and young people admitted where there are significant concerns and/or serious child protection concerns

1. Purpose

This is a process to communicate issues/concerns to an executive level. If staff have a child protection concern they should seek advice and/or make referral as per the child protection procedures. The flow chart below highlights the communication pathway for escalating information about children and young people admitted to BGH where there are significant and/or serious child protection concerns to the Director of Nursing and Midwifery, Executive Lead for Child Protection or Executive On-Call (contact details through the BGH Switchboard). It should emphasised that patient information must be shared appropriately and proportionately; access to patient-identifiable information should be on a strict ‘need to know’ basis

2. Criteria for informing Director of Nursing / Executive On-Call

1. Child death or potential child death
2. Potential significant case review
3. Failure of processes within NHS Borders
4. Failure of processes within partner agencies
5. Roles, responsibilities and timescale

3. Roles, responsibilities and timescale

4. Communication Process

Other staff (i.e. nursing and junior doctors) identify concerns and discuss with Lead Consultant Paediatrician for child/young person. Document discussion with paediatrician and outcome in child’s record (nursing/medical).

Consultant Paediatrician identifies information.

Criteria:

1. Child death or potential child death
2. Potential serious case review
3. Failure of processes within NHS Borders
4. Failure of processes within partner agencies
5. Potential press call

Consultant Paediatrician makes telephone call in SBAR format to:

• Director of Nursing and Midwifery (in the first instance)
• Executive On-Call (out-of-hours and if the DON not available

Consultant Paediatrician records information:

• Detail of conversation recorded in child/young person’s medical record including agreed actions
• Green IRD form completed with actions identified re communication to Executive Team

Director of Nursing and Midwifery or Executive On-Call notes information in SBAR format; if further information is required by the Executive On-Call or BET contact the Consultant Paediatrician directly

5. Points of information for Executive Team

• Information shared will be proportionate and non patient identifiable
• Level of detail: age group (baby, toddler, primary school-age, adolescent) and
  gender of child; address/location of child not required