Paediatric

The Paediatric Clinical Network (PCN) was established in July 2009, with the broad aim to progress a coordinated approach to planning, development and delivery of state-wide paediatric services in order to meet increasing demand for both specialist and general services. The Strategic Framework for Paediatric Health Services in Victoria was published in May 2009 and has provided the network with guiding principles and priorities such as:

• high quality and safe services built on evidence, knowledge and research
• child and family-centred care
• employs a workforce that is skilled and flexible
• care that is in the community, close to home where possible, cost effective and sustainable.

The PCN developed a work plan to progress key initiatives identified in the framework. To date the PCN has undertaken activities in a range of areas from supporting the uptake of evidence to workforce education. Current PCN projects are described briefly below:

Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG)
With the aim of supporting the use of evidence in practice and reducing inappropriate variation in practice, the PCN convened a small specialist working group to work with the Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) to review and modify the most commonly accessed Clinical Practice Guidelines, for application in settings outside of major paediatric tertiary centres. Fifteen guidelines have been modified thus far, and these have since been endorsed for state-wide use by the PCN. The PCN will continue to support this work through 2012.

Telehealth for improving paediatric care
In 2011, funding was provided to health services to undertake 14 short-term telehealth projects with the primary aim of supporting education, peer support and supervision in non-tertiary public health services. Through 2012, the PCN will continue to support and promote telehealth as a means for supporting the paediatric workforce and improving the quality of clinical care provided to children.

Supporting the workforce
In 2011, the PCN undertook a project to help build greater capability in the state-wide paediatric workforce through offering education scholarships to nursing and allied health professionals working in public health services. Forty scholarships were awarded to support individuals undertake one of four established nursing or allied health specific training courses/programs. While individual scholarships will not be offered in 2012, the PCN will continue to support workforce education through initiatives that have a sustainable system-level focus.

The PCN also has an active interest in the following areas: paediatric-specific clinical indicators and performance measures; chronic and complex conditions; overall service capability; and workforce sustainability. The PCN’s ongoing work plan will be reviewed and refined following a strategic planning session scheduled for April 2012.

More information
For more information on any of the above initiatives or areas of interest, please contact the Manager, Paediatric Clinical Network by phone on (03) 9096 6978 or by email on paediatric.clinicalnetwork@health.vic.gov.au.

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