Claims of national paediatrician shortage rejected (From The Northern Echo)

Claims of national paediatrician shortage rejected

8:30am Monday 30th January 2012 in Northallerton By Barry Nelson, Health Editor

A CLAIM that a hospital’s medical staffing crisis is partly due to a national shortage of paediatricians has been rejected by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health.

Last Tuesday, health bosses said that a national shortage of paediatricians was one of the reasons why the current 24/7 inpatient paediatric department at the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton, North Yorkshire, would probably have to be downgraded to a day unit.

The proposal, which could also see a downgrade of the hospital’s maternity service, triggered protests from local politicians.

But Dr Simon Newell, a consultant paediatrician at Leeds General Infirmary and Vice President for Training at the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), flatly denied there is any national shortage of paediatricians.

"The Government looked at this last year and came to the conclusion that paediatrics is in balance, which means the numbers in training are about right," said Dr Newell.

However the RCPCH expert suggested that prospective recruits were put off because they realised that the staffing arrangements at such a small hospital were not sustainable for the future.

Dr Newell said consultants did not want to work in a hospital inpatient unit where they could not sure that they were handing over to another specialist when they finished their shift.

The RCPCH has stated that hospitals need a minimum of ten specialist paediatricians to run a 24/7 inpatient unit for children and despite extensive advertising the Friarage has only been able to fill one of the five vacant consultant posts, with two senior doctors sharing the position.

While doctors insist that the Friarage is still providing a safe and high quality service they do not believe the model of working is sustainable in the mid to long term.

The situation is likely to get worse when two to three consultant paediatricians retire in the next few years.

Dr Newell said it was only the "dedication" of the Friarages consultants that kept the service going and there were about 40 small hospitals around the country which probably needed to either convert their paediatric inpatient units to day units or close them.

Independent experts have advised the Friarage to set up a daytime paediatric assessment unit.

But any child who a GP or paramedic suspects has a serious illness or injury would have to be taken to the James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough.

Any firm proposals will be the subject of a public consultation.