RCPCH Podcasts

Members and guests chat about a wide range of child health topics - from health inequalities to climate change, from paediatric training to quality improvement.

Building Capacity 2: Alternative research pathways 10/14/2026

Building Capacity 2: Alternative research pathways In the second episode of our Building Capacity: Past, Present and Future series, recorded at the RCPCH Trainee Research Network National Conference in Stafford, we explore stepping outside of standard training routes. Dr Leila Ellis of the Trainee Research Network speaks with Dr Sharna Shanmugavadivel and Dr Priyen Shah about how their careers have developed beyond the conventional clinical academic route.  They discuss finding opportunities, mentors and how research experience can open doors into areas such as policy, artificial intelligence and health technology. Sharna and Priyen's experiences show how varied a career involving research can be and how opportunities can emerge from clinical questions, new skills and connections made along the way. Dr Leila Ellis is a member of the RCPCH Trainee Research Network and the Severn Paediatric Audit, Research and Quality Improvement Network. She is currently undertaking a Wellcome-funded PhD at the University of Bristol. Dr Sharna Shanmugavadivel is a PEM GRID trainee specialising in paediatric emergency medicine and has an interest in public health and health policy. She completed an NIHR Doctoral Research Fellowship after completing an OOPE as the HeadSmart fellow and currently leads the Child Cancer Smart campaign. Sharna was most recently appointed by the Secretary of State to Vice-Chair England’s first Children and Young People’s Cancer Taskforce at the Department of Health and Social Care using research to inform the recently published National Cancer Plan.  Dr Priyen Shah is a paediatrician and Head of AI at Lantum. His background spans paediatrics, machine learning and infectious-disease research, and he now works on the application of artificial intelligence to healthcare workforce planning.  Explore the resources mentioned in this episode: RCPCH Trainee Research Network - - find out about the national network, regional trainee research networks, research resources, and opportunities to get involved.  Child Cancer Smart  – - an evidence-based campaign for families and professionals aiming to improve earlier diagnosis of cancer in children and teenagers.  Lantum  – - a healthcare workforce platform that supports NHS and other healthcare organisations with staff rostering and workforce management.  Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST) fellowships  – - placements for researchers interested in gaining experience of how evidence is used in Parliament and policymaking. Fellows may contribute to parliamentary research briefings or work with Select Committees and other parliamentary teams. The views, thoughts and opinions expressed in this podcast relates only to the speakers and not necessarily to their employers, organisations, RCPCH or any other group or individual. /episode/index/show/rcpch/id/43276898

Building Capacity 1: Routes to get involved in research 10/07/2026

Building Capacity 1: Routes to get involved in research In the first episode of our Building Capacity: Past, Present and Future series, recorded at the RCPCH Trainee Research Network National Conference in Stafford, we explore some of the different ways paediatricians can become involved in research.  Dr Leila Ellis of the Trainee Research Network speaks with Professor Will Carroll, Professor Damian Roland and Dr Jon Elliot about the current child health research landscape and why research should be part of everyday paediatric practice. They discuss the importance of building research capacity beyond traditional academic centres, how collaborative networks can help answer clinically important questions, and the opportunities available for resident doctors to contribute to research at different stages of their careers. Dr Leila Ellis is a member of the RCPCH Trainee Research Network and the Severn Paediatric Audit, Research and Quality Improvement Network. She is currently undertaking a Wellcome-funded PhD at the University of Bristol. Professor Will Carroll is the Honorary Professor of Child Health at Staffordshire Children’s Hospital. He has gradually carved out a career in medical education and paediatric research to complement his years as both a general paediatrician (11 years as a consultant) and a respiratory paediatrician (11 years). He is the ex-officio RCPCH Joint Officer for Research and the RCPCH Officer for England (West).  Professor Damian Roland is a past chair of PERUKI where he led on developing the research group into a self-sustaining organisation that delivers care through over 70 affiliated Children’s Emergency Departments in the UK and Ireland. He is a Paediatric Emergency Medicine Consultant at the Leicester Royal Infirmary, the System Clinical Director for Urgent and Emergency Care at the Leicestershire and Northamptonshire ICS and the NHS England lead for the deteriorating child.  Dr Jon Elliot is a Neonatal GRID Resident at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and Co-Chair of NeoTRIPS, the national neonatal resident doctor-led research and quality improvement network.  Explore the resources mentioned in this episode: RCPCH Trainee Research Network - - find out about the national network, regional trainee research networks, research resources, and opportunities to get involved.  RCPCH Progress+ domain resources: Research and scholarship - - resources supporting the research and scholarship domain of the paediatric curriculum.  Paediatric Emergency Research in the UK and Ireland (PERUKI)  - – a collaborative network supporting multicentre paediatric emergency medicine research across the UK and Ireland. PERUKI also accepts study proposals and provides information for clinicians interested in joining the network or bringing forward a research idea.  NeoTRIPS - – a national neonatal study group using resident doctor networks to deliver large-scale research and quality improvement projects.  The views, thoughts and opinions expressed in this podcast relates only to the speakers and not necessarily to their employers, organisations, RCPCH or any other group or individual. /episode/index/show/rcpch/id/43191358

Leading the Way 15: Giving leadership a go, with Dr Chakrapani Vasudevan 09/30/2026

Leading the Way 14: Leading through improvement, with Dr Yincent Tse 08/19/2026

Leading the Way 14: Leading through improvement, with Dr Yincent Tse How can you use your voice to enact impact? In the penultimate episode of our Leading the Way series, Dr Jonathan Darling, our recently departed Vice President for Education and Workforce, speaks with his successor, Dr Yincent Tse, a paediatric nephrologist. The two share valuable insights into leadership, quality improvement and the positive mindset needed to create lasting change. Jonathan and Yincent discuss the importance of saying ‘yes’ to opportunities, but also knowing when it is time to move on. Yincent encourages leaders to talk to as many people as possible and to celebrate their colleagues. Coming from a quality improvement background, he approaches his work and leadership by bringing people together, starting small, using the psychology of change and measuring impact. Yincent reflects on his experience growing up with a stammer and how this drove him to use his voice to make connections and centre the voices of his colleagues and patients. An example of this is KidzMed, which started as a conversation between Yincent and his colleagues and patients about the challenges of liquid medicine for children. The result was a QI project across hospitals which converted many CYP from liquid to tablet medicine. Yincent leads with a positive attitude that drives solution-oriented change. Two taekaways for listeners: use your voice and apply quality improvement principles. The views, thoughts and opinions expressed in this podcast relates only to the speaker and not necessarily to their employer, organisation, RCPCH or any other group or individual. About Yincent Dr Yincent Tse is a paediatric nephrologist in Newcastle. He served as our Area Officer for North England, later co-chaired our joint Medicines Committee and lead on our Grand Rounds webinar series. In May 2025, Yincent started his post as Vice President for Education and Workforce. /episode/index/show/rcpch/id/42476355

Child health research 2: Getting started and finding support with, Professor Will Carroll 08/11/2026

Leading the Way 13: Leading change, with Dr Nadeem Moghal 07/15/2026

Leading the Way 13: Leading change, with Dr Nadeem Moghal How can we build services that better understand population needs? In this episode, Dr Jonathan Darling speaks to Dr Nadeem Moghal, Director and Chief Medical and Innovation officer at Strasys. The discussion moves beyond traditional leadership theory and focuses on the practical realities of leading in complex environments, particularly where transformation and service improvement are required. The two explore the challenge of building better services in increasingly complex systems. Using the example of paediatric services, Nadeem discusses the fragility that can exist within healthcare systems and the importance of understanding population needs. He highlights the growing importance of evidence-based leadership and a system-wide perspective when planning for the future. Jonathan and Nadeem share several powerful insights on leadership, personal development and driving meaningful change. Leadership is not simply about directing others; it is about having the courage to grow, the determination to drive change and the resilience to persevere when the path becomes difficult. About Nadeem Most healthcare consultants observe the system from the outside. Nadeem Moghal has spent over 30 years inside it, as a clinician, a senior leader, and a patient. That combination of perspectives shapes everything he does at Strasys. At Strasys, Nadeem leads the firm's clinical and innovation agenda. He is passionate about improving healthcare equality and life chances, and has been pioneering population-centric healthcare reform. His recent work includes supporting the reshaping of care for children and young people with Alder Hey, developing national healthcare quality governance capability, and enabling integrated care health systems to think and operate differently. He questions current approaches, encourages different thinking, and works with leaders to build more equitable communities. Thinking differently, underpinned by data analytics and connected to real stories, is what makes Strasys his natural home. /episode/index/show/rcpch/id/42033005

Understanding the RCPCH Assessment Review - changes to workplace-based assessments 06/29/2026

Understanding the RCPCH Assessment Review - changes to workplace-based assessments Want to know more about the RCPCH’s Assessment Review particularly what, why, when and how it’s going to affect you? This podcast episode aims to do just that by bringing together some of the College faculty who have been involved through the planning, development and pilot stages. Dr Cathryn Chadwick, outgoing Vice President for Training and Assessment, Dr Josh Hodgson, Chair of the RCPCH Trainee Committee and Dr Sarah Hallett, Trainee Representative for Assessment at the RCPCH, discuss proposed changes to workplace-based assessments which are designed to better reflect real clinical practice. Cathryn has been leading the work to review the assessment programme within the Progress+ curriculum for doctors in postgraduate paediatric training. After two pilots and a consultation on the new workplace-based assessments, the proposed changes have been submitted to the General Medical Council for approval. Drawing on insights from trainees, trainers and College teams, the review marks a significant step towards embedding assessment within everyday clinical work. In this conversation, Cathryn, Josh and Sarah outline the Assessment Review process, proposed changes, and predicted timeline for implementation, and address concerns that have come up along the way. About Cathryn Cathryn is the outgoing RCPCH Vice President for Training and Assessment, a post she has held since 2021. She is a General Paediatric Consultant at Northampton General Hospital where she has a neonatal interest. Cathryn is excited by the opportunities in the new curriculum for trainees to develop capabilities to provide holistic, joined up care for children and young people. About Josh Josh is the Chair of the RCPCH Trainee Committee and a Paediatric Intensive Care Medicine trainee based at the Evelina London Children's Hospital. He is an Associate Fellow of the Faculty of Medical Leadership and Management (FMLM and a member of the Academy of Medical Educators and an Instructor for the Resuscitation Council (UK). About Sarah Sarah is the trainee rep for Assessments at RCPCH and an ST6 (S1) in General Paediatrics in the East Midlands. She has provided trainee input throughout the Assessment Review and also sits on the Training Quality and START Boards, as well as the SPIN Working Group. /episode/index/show/rcpch/id/41806080

Leading the Way 12: The quiet power of SAS doctor leadership, with Dr Kumar Swamy 06/17/2026

Child health research 1: Digital health technologies, with Professor Paul Dimitri 06/11/2026

Child health research 1: Digital health technologies, with Professor Paul Dimitri How can we use digital technology to address children's physical and mental health needs and shift from reactive to anticipatory, personalised care? This episode is the first of a series on research and child health and discusses the role of technology in transforming child health. Professor Paul Dimitri, Director of Research and Innovation at Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust and paediatric endocrinology consultant talks with Nish Talawila Da Camara, Head of Research and Evidence. Paul outlines how digital tools, data and artificial intelligence can be used to build a more proactive and humane system for addressing children and young people’s health. There are many exciting advancements in the world of digital health technology, from new infrastructure like the incoming National Centre for Child Health Technology to advancements like remote monitoring, digital twins and AI. But we now face new challenges: Paul emphasises the need for child-focused digital standards and safeguarding measures. As children and young people's physical and mental needs are rising, 'the real opportunity isn't the technology itself. It's what we choose to do with it.' The views, thoughts and opinions expressed in this podcast relates only to the speaker and not necessarily to their employer, organisation, RCPCH or any other group or individual. About Paul Professor Paul Dimitri is a Consultant in Paediatric Endocrinology and the Director of Research and Innovation at Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust. He has been working in the field of Paediatrics since 1998 and Paediatric Endocrinology since 2004. Paul took office as Vice President for Science and Research at the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health in early 2022 and is leading on the development of the National Centre for Child Health Technology, aiming to bring together industry, universities, healthcare professionals, children and young people and their families to develop the most advanced healthcare technologies for children worldwide. /episode/index/show/rcpch/id/41596530

Influencing the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 06/03/2026

Influencing the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act How does the College combine paediatric and policy expertise to influence legislation? Professor Andrew Rowland, Officer for Child Protection, talks about our work with colleagues from RCPCH and NSPCC. The UK Government introduced the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill in 2024. This proposed measures to improve information sharing between services, strengthen safeguarding, reform children’s social care and raise standards and protections in schools. This received Royal Assent in early May 2026. Andrew invites Elizabeth Collin, RCPCH Public Affairs and Campaign Manager and Joanna Barrett, NSPCC Associate Head of Policy, to discuss the work of the College and the NSPCC in influencing this piece of legislation and reflections on the joint campaign for equal protection from assault across the UK. He then speaks with Grace Hastie, RCPCH Policy Manager for Child Protection and Ethics, on the long-term engagement and policy work surrounding the bill. The views, thoughts and opinions expressed in this podcast relates only to the speaker and not necessarily to their employer, organisation, RCPCH or any other group or individual. About Andrew Professor Andrew Rowland is the RCPCH Officer for Child Protection and a consultant in paediatric emergency medicine. He has worked nationally and internationally in child protection, advocating for and with children and young people and safeguarding vulnerable groups. About Elizabeth Elizabeth Collin is the RCPCH Public Affairs and Campaign Manager. She works with College Officers, staff and members to make the case to Parliament and government for policies to support the paediatric workforce and improve child health outcomes. About Joanna Joanna Barrett is the Associate Head of Policy at the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC). She was heavily involved in the successful campaign to end the physical punishment of children in Scotland and is leading NSPCC's work on this campaign in England. About Grace Grace Hastie is the Policy Manager for Child Protection and Ethics at RCPCH. She works closely with the Officer for Child Protection to improve child protection and safeguarding across the UK. /episode/index/show/rcpch/id/41439740

Leading the Way 11: Trust, courage and diversity in medical leadership, with Dr Erum Jamall 05/20/2026

Leading the Way 11: Trust, courage and diversity in medical leadership, with Dr Erum Jamall How can we overcome the transition from clinical practice to managerial roles? In this episode, Dr Jonathan Darling, RCPCH Vice President for Education and Professional Development, speaks with Dr Erum Jamall, a consultant paediatrician and currently the Divisional Medical Director for Women's, Children and Core Services at Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust. The two discuss leadership within NHS trusts and the crucial role of medical management. A key theme was the importance of viewing medical management as an essential part of trust leadership, particularly by building networks and collaborating across stakeholders. Erum shared her experiences of leading during the COVID‑19 pandemic, highlighting how even the toughest environments can offer an opportunity for meaningful growth. Erum pointed to the difficulty in balancing clinical and managerial roles, and cites self-belief, coaching and supportive networks as essential in navigating such challenges in senior leadership roles. Finally, she emphasised the importance of diverse and inclusive leadership, noting how varied perspectives strengthen teams and improve outcomes. The views, thoughts and opinions expressed in this podcast relates only to the speaker and not necessarily to their employer, organisation, RCPCH or any other group or individual. About Erum Erum is a consultant paediatrician, with sub-specialty accreditation in paediatric emergency medicine. She is currently the Divisional Medical Director for Women's, Children and Core Services at Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust. Her previous leadership roles include Divisional Clinical Director for Children and Young People Services and Associate Medical Director for Quality & Clinical Effectiveness at Whittington Health NHS Trust. She is passionate about diverse representation and clinical expertise in leadership roles across Health Care Organisations and equitable access to healthcare for all. She firmly believes that we can shape better outcomes for Children and Young People through better leadership. /episode/index/show/rcpch/id/41359235

Leading the Way 10: Leading through advocacy and collaboration, with Dr Kay Tyerman 04/22/2026

Leading the way 9: Compassionate leadership in challenging times, with Will Clement 03/18/2026

Leading the way 8: Strategic leadership in safeguarding, with Dr Vicki Walker 02/18/2026

Leading the way 8: Strategic leadership in safeguarding, with Dr Vicki Walker All child health professionals, no matter their role, must have knowledge and skills in safeguarding. As a designated doctor in child protection, Vicki has particular leadership experience in this area and has recently led the redevelopment of intercollegiate competencies for safeguarding and children in care. Vicki speaks with host Dr Jonathan Darling about her career, which often took an unconventional path; she worked as a teaching fellow, got involved with the RCPCH trainees’ committee and became head of service of a growing community paediatrics team. Leadership often starts with saying “yes” to opportunities that challenge us. But, as Vicki and Jonathan discuss, we can also ask for help, building collaboration. Prioritising self-care is also important, and Vicki has a simple strategy: three minutes of music to reset (in her case, some 1980s soft rock!). The views, thoughts and opinions expressed in this podcast relates only to the speaker and not necessarily to their employer, organisation, RCPCH or any other group or individual. About Vicki I am a Consultant Paediatrician in Mansfield and the Designated Doctor for Looked After Children in Nottinghamshire. I work in the community paediatric service and with children in care. I’ve held leadership, management and supervision roles within the Trust. I was appointed to the RCPCH Child Protection Standing Committee in February 2019 working with the College to support paediatricians, progress training and improve health outcomes for children in care, with an interest in education and migrant health. I was appointed as the Assistant Officer for Child Protection (Education) in April 2022, developing and delivering courses and working as the clinical editor for the eLfH level three safeguarding children and young people eLearning. I was project lead for the recent update of the intercollegiate safeguarding children and children in care competencies. A multi-partner undertaking which took two years to complete. I was also co-lead for the development and publication of initial health assessment (IHAs) standards for children in care. I regularly teach on national courses and author journal articles. /episode/index/show/rcpch/id/40135660

Leading the way 7: Stepping up when opportunities arise, with Professor Steve Turner 01/21/2026

Leading the way 6: Helping others thrive, with Dr Jonathan Darling 12/17/2025

Leading the way 5: Dreaming big, with Dr Arnab Seal 11/19/2025

Leading the way: Layers of learning, with Dr Dal Hothi 10/15/2025

Leading the way: Seizing opportunities as a resident doctor, with Dr Josh Hodgson 09/17/2025

Leading the way: Bloom where you grow, with Dr Emma Dyer 08/13/2025

Leading the way: Finding joy in leadership, with Dr Simon Broughton 07/16/2025

Our blueprint for transforming child health services - six months on 04/25/2025

Child health and climate change: Nepal 10/16/2024

Child health and climate change: Canada 10/09/2024

Child health and climate change: Uganda 10/02/2024

Patient safety 5 – The impact of healthcare inequality on patient safety 02/07/2024

Patient safety 5 – The impact of healthcare inequality on patient safety Health inequalities are widening in paediatrics. Those that are more disadvantaged experience more safety issues whilst in health care. If we can make our healthcare systems more equitable for the children and young people we can for, they will be safer in our care. In episode 5 of our series on paediatric patient safety, we speak with Dr Helen Stewart, Dr Cian Wade and Dr Mimi Malhotra to explore how patient safety and health inequalities are inextricably linked. Tackling healthcare inequalities can improve safety and vice versa. Dr Stewart shares her knowledge and experience as the RCPCH Officer for Health Improvement as to how our children are impacted by health inequalities. Dr Wade and Dr Malhotra discuss their BMJ paper, Action on patient safety can reduce health inequalities, and explore some of the improvement avenues that are available to clinicians and service providers. Thank you for listening. Dr Natalie Wyatt, RCPCH Clinical Fellow and Jonathan Bamber, RCPCH Head of Quality Improvement | Produced by 18Sixty Please be advised that this podcast series contains stories relating to child death and harm. All views, thoughts and opinions expressed belong to the guests and not necessarily to their employer, linked organisations or RCPCH. About the Patient Safety series As doctors we ‘first, do no harm’. However, the systems in which we work are rife with safety issues and resultant harm. In thinking about how to improve this, we have brought together leaders in the field to discuss challenging and thought-provoking issues around keeping our children safe in healthcare settings. We hope you will be entertained, educated and energised to make strides in improving the safety of the children that you care for. The has lots of resources, including a wealth of learning about paediatric patient safety. The RCPCH health inequalities programme of work can be found on our . It is imperative to turn this knowledge into action through improvement activities. About the speakers Dr Helen Stewart is a Consultant in Paediatric Emergency Medicine at Sheffield Children’s Hospital. She also has an interest in public health and health inequalities, which has led to her becoming the Officer for Health Improvement at RCPCH. Dr Cian Wade completed a National Medical Director Clinical Fellowship with NHS England. He is a Fulbright Scholar who recently completed a Master of Public Health at Harvard University and now consults for health systems and healthcare providers. Dr Mimi Malhotra completed a National Medical Director Clinical Fellowship with the Health Foundation. Dr Malhotra continues to work as a respiratory trainee in London with ab honorary clinical lectureship at UCL. Topics/organisations/papers referenced in this episode /episode/index/show/rcpch/id/29821078

Patient safety 4 - Involving children, young people and their families in making healthcare safer 01/31/2024

Patient safety 4 - Involving children, young people and their families in making healthcare safer It is imperative that children and young people are central to the co-design and co-production of our patient safety improvement interventions. In this episode, we speak with Dr Jane Runnacles, consultant paediatrician at St. George's Hospital, and Dr Victoria Dublon, paediatric diabetes consultant at the Royal Free Hospital. Both are champions of improvement work that puts the young person and their needs first. As Jane and Victoria describe, involving children, young people and their families in improvement work improves the experience and outcome for all involved. There are fantastic examples of co-creating and co-producing safety improvements in healthcare. We discuss the practicalities of how to do this and who to involve in your healthcare setting, and we hear about some of Jane and Victoria’s successes. Thank you for listening. Dr Natalie Wyatt, RCPCH Clinical Fellow and Jonathan Bamber RCPCH Head of Quality Improvement Produced by 18Sixty Please be advised that this podcast series contains stories relating to child death and harm. All views, thoughts and opinions expressed belong to the guests and not necessarily to their employer, linked organisations or RCPCH. About the patient safety series As doctors we ‘first, do no harm’. However, the systems in which we work are rife with safety issues and resultant harm. In thinking about how to improve this, we have brought together leaders in the field to discuss challenging and thought-provoking issues around keeping our children safe in healthcare settings. We hope you will be entertained, educated and energised to make strides in improving the safety of the children that you care for. The has lots of resources. And our can help you get started on your engagement journey to effectively work with children and young people to improve their healthcare. Dr Victoria Dublon is based at the Royal Free Hospital and part of the Trust-wide diabetes team. She has been a paediatric diabetes consultant for eight years, working primarily at the Royal Free Hospital as well as running clinics at Barnet Hospital and Chase Farm Hospital. As a registrar, she trained in adolescent health as well as endocrinology and diabetes and this continues to be a big part of her work. Victoria is involved in improvement work within the department as well as being a champion of ‘Me First’, striving to put the young person and their needs first. Dr Jane Runnacles is a consultant in ambulatory paediatrics at St George's hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London and clinical governance lead for her department. She has an interest in acute paediatrics, simulation and quality improvement. During her postgraduate training in London, she was awarded distinction in her MA in clinical education and spent a year as a Darzi clinical leadership fellow at Great Ormond Street Hospital. Jane is a Training Programme Director for the London School of Paediatrics and leads their leadership and QI education programmes. Topics/organisations/papers referenced in this episode /episode/index/show/rcpch/id/29713273

Patient safety 3 - How do we improve how we learn from harm? 01/24/2024

Patient safety 3 - How do we improve how we learn from harm? It is not enough just to collect data on harm occurring to children in healthcare settings. We need the data to be robust, comparable across the NHS and for it to be transformed into effective, meaningful changes in outcome. In episode 3 of our series on paediatric patient safety, we speak with Dr Damian Roland, a paediatric emergency medicine clinician scientist and head of service for the Children's Emergency Department at Leicester Royal Infirmary. As Damian discusses on the podcast, in order to learn from harm and prevent it occurring again we need to collect data and investigate what is occurring across the healthcare system rather than looking to individuals. Removing the individual, more punitive approach to harm investigations could improve the quality of how we record and report harm. There is already a wealth of learning available from a range of sources including national reports, coroner’s findings described in regulation 28 reports to prevent future death and large-scale reviews like those of the Health Services Safety Investigations Body. We can investigate whether the causes of harm identified in these reports are occurring where we work and make proactive steps to avert it. Damian also shares the progress of the SPOT programme (System-wide Paediatric Observation Tracking). This looks to reduce harm and improve how we learn from harm by creating a standardised common language to identify and discuss children whose health is deteriorating. Thank you for listening. Hosted by Dr Natalie Wyatt, RCPCH Clinical Fellow and Jonathan Bamber RCPCH Head of Quality Improvement | Produced by 18Sixty Please be advised that this series contains stories relating to child death and harm. All views, thoughts and opinions expressed in this podcast series belong to the guests and not necessarily to their employer, linked organisations or RCPCH. About the Patient Safety series As doctors we ‘first, do no harm’. However, the systems in which we work are rife with safety issues and resultant harm. In thinking about how to improve this, we have brought together leaders in the field to discuss challenging and thought-provoking issues around keeping our children safe in healthcare settings. We hope you will be entertained, educated and energised to make strides in improving the safety of the children that you care for. The RCPCH Patient Safety Portal at has lots of resources. It includes a wealth of information summarising reports and investigations that identify what puts children at risk of harm. It is imperative to turn this knowledge into action through improvement activities. More about Dr Damian Roland Damian is a paediatric emergency medicine clinician scientist and is head of service for the Children's Emergency Department at Leicester Royal Infirmary. Among his many achievements, Damian has been focused on addressing the challenges of identifying deterioration in health in children. He created the Paediatric Observation Priority Score for Children's Emergency Care and currently he is instrumental in the NHS England SPOT programme. Topics/organisations/papers referenced in this episode /episode/index/show/rcpch/id/29591098

Patient safety 2 - If we are psychologically safe, children are safer in our care 01/17/2024

Patient safety 2 - If we are psychologically safe, children are safer in our care Psychological safety in healthcare settings is the condition in which you feel included, safe to learn, safe to contribute and safe to challenge the status quo - without fear of being embarrassed, marginalised or punished. And it's an essential foundation in building a safety culture. Individually, feeling psychologically safe improves performance and innovation, while feeling unsafe reduces productivity and harms retention. In a highly productive team, it is about feeling safe to take risks, to learn from each other and to feel resilient and able to tackle the difficult and varying challenges of healthcare with a healthy mindset. This is the second episode in our patient safety series and features Dr Dal Hothi and Dr Jess Morgan. Learn how you can reflect on your own behaviour, champion effective communication and create a psychologically safe space within your team. Hosts: Dr Natalie Wyatt, RCPCH Clinical Fellow and Jonathan Bamber, RCPCH Head of Quality Improvement Produced by 18Sixty Please be advised that this podcast series contains stories relating to child death and harm. All views, thoughts and opinions expressed belong to the guests and not necessarily to their employer, linked organisations or RCPCH. If you are a healthcare professional and you are worried that you are suffering with burnout please speak to your team, your GP or . About the speakers Dr Dal Hothi is a paediatric nephrologist at Great Ormond Street Hospital. She's also a Director of Leadership Development at the Faculty of Medical Leadership and Management, as well as being an Officer for Lifelong Careers at the RCPCH. Dr Jess Morgan is a paediatric doctor and Dinwoodie RCPCH Fellow who leads on the RCPCH Thrive Paediatrics Project along with Dal. About the patient safety podcast series As doctors we ‘first, do no harm’. However, the systems in which we work are rife with safety issues and resultant harm. In thinking about how to improve this, we have brought together leaders in the field to discuss challenging and thought-provoking issues around keeping our children safe in healthcare settings. We hope you will be entertained, educated, and energised to make strides in improving the safety of the children that you care for. To learn more, visit the and begin your journey in improving your own psychological safety and that of those you work with. Links for topics/organisations/papers referenced in this episode /episode/index/show/rcpch/id/29489868

Patient safety 1 - How can we build a culture of safety in paediatric healthcare? 01/10/2024

Patient safety 1 - How can we build a culture of safety in paediatric healthcare? Healthcare is inherently risky and so as child health professionals we need to make patient safety a priority in all our actions. We need to think about safety all the time. In episode 1 of our series on paediatric patient safety, we speak with Dr Peter Lachman, who develops and delivers programmes for clinical leaders in quality improvement at the Royal College of Physicians in Dublin. As Peter explains on the podcast, we healthcare professionals need to know patient safety theory - but, more importantly, we need to know how to apply it, drive improvement and create a workplace culture that fosters safe working practices. Everyone - from the most junior member of the team to the most senior paediatric clinical leader - needs to think about patient safety all day every day. A safe culture takes time to build. Shared activities such as handover, huddles and debrief can model good behaviour and benefit performance. Repeating behaviours that represent a safe culture can create a virtuous cycle which can change deeply held attitudes and beliefs, then ultimately the safe culture overall. Thank you for listening. Dr Natalie Wyatt, RCPCH Clinical Fellow and Jonathan Bamber RCPCH Head of Quality Improvement Produced by 18Sixty Please be advised that this series contains stories relating to child death and harm. All views, thoughts and opinions expressed in this podcast series belong to the guests and not necessarily to their employer, linked organisations or RCPCH. About the Patient safety podcast series As doctors we ‘first, do no harm’. However, the systems in which we work are rife with safety issues and resultant harm. In thinking about how to improve this, we have brought together leaders in the field to discuss challenging and thought-provoking issues around keeping our children safe in healthcare settings. We hope you will be entertained, educated, and energised to make strides in improving the safety of the children that you care for. There are lots of resources that expand on this on the RCPCH Patient Safety Portal, including the theory of patient safety culture and examples of how people across the UK are doing this well. Visit at . More about Dr Peter Lachman Dr Peter Lachman develops and delivers programmes to develop clinical leaders in quality improvement at the Royal College of Physicians in Dublin. He works with HSE Global in Africa, and he was Chief Executive Officer of the International Society for Quality in Healthcare (ISQua) from 1 May 2016 to 30 April 2021. Peter was a Health Foundation Quality Improvement Fellow at IHI in 2005-2006 and then went on to be the Deputy Medical Director with the lead for Patient Safety at Great Ormond Street Hospital 2006-2016. Peter was also a Consultant Paediatrician at the Royal Free Hospital in London specialising in the challenge of long-term conditions for children. Peter is the lead editor of the OUP Handbook on Patient Safety published in April 2022; Co-Editor of the OUP Handbook on Medical Leadership and Management published in December 2022; and Editor of the OUP Handbook on Quality Improvement to be published in 2024. Topics/organisations/papers referenced in this podcast (what now what so what) /episode/index/show/rcpch/id/29322608

RCPCH Podcasts

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