Chairs of new group of experts for children's national service framework announced.

Health Minister Jacqui Smith yesterday announced the co-chairs of a new External Working Group for the Children's National Service Framework (NSF).

Professor David Hall, President of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health - Professor of Community Paediatrics at Sheffield University and Chris Town, Chief Executive of North Peterborough Primary Care Trust will jointly chair a group of experts from health, social care, statutory and voluntary agencies to develop standards and service models for "The Ill Child" to be included in the Children's NSF.

Chairman of the Children's Taskforce and National Clinical Director for Children, Professor Al Aynsley-Green, said:
"For the vast majority of children and young people admission to hospital is very much a last resort and many illnesses both short and long term can treated successfully at home, with appropriate access to advice, support and treatment for them, their families and carers. <
"This EWG will undertake the important task of looking at the precise needs of this Group of children and young people."

Standards for hospital services for children will be published shortly, along with a document on issues emerging from work of the other External Working Groups. The full NSF will be published during 2003.

With the hospital standards in their final stages of development the focus of future work is turning to children who have minor or common illnesses, children who are acutely ill and children with long-term conditions. A new External Working Group is being established to take forward this work. This will build on work already started by the groups that have been working through this year.