A&E warning system to flag dangerously ill children
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) reports on a new early warning system being introduced in hospital emergency departments across England. This system aims to help NHS staff identify children who are deteriorating quickly and require urgent attention.
"National Paediatric Early Warning System (PEWS)" asks staff to monitor and log vital signs like blood pressure, heart rate, and oxygen levels. A high overall score indicates a child needs more urgent care. Concerns from staff, parents, or the child themselves will trigger immediate escalation of care.
The initiative is a response to Health Secretary Yvette Cooper's promise to end "corridor care" for sick children due to long waits for hospital beds. This was highlighted by the case of two-year-old Finlay Roberts, who died in 2024 after spending hours in a crowded hospital corridor before being discharged.
Similar to an existing system for identifying acutely ill adults, including those with sepsis, PEWS is being rolled out in children's wards. Over 90 hospitals in England have already adopted it.
Additionally, the NHS is expanding Martha's Rule, which gives patients, families, and carers the right to request a rapid review if they are concerned about a patient's worsening condition. This initiative is named after Martha Mills, who died in 2021 from blood poisoning (sepsis) after a bike accident. A coroner ruled that her family's concerns about her deteriorating condition were not heeded, and she might have survived had she been moved to intensive care earlier.