Hospital Care for Children Rapped

STANDARDS of hospital care for children in Wales fail to match the rest of the UK according to a report published today.

Fewer doctors operating on children in Wales received specialist training.

Only four of the nine hospitals operating on children said their surgeons received at least six months training in a specialist unit and anaesthetists performed at least one paediatric surgical list a week.

In comparison, almost 70% of hospitals in England had these trained staff.

The findings came in the latest Dr Foster Hospital Guide published today.

The guide claims to provide the most detailed information on standards and services in hospitals across the UK and compares hospitals on a wide range of performance measures.

Overall the report shows improving quality of care in many areas of the NHS with greater access to new treatments for heart disease and cancer and improving standardsfor children and stroke patients. Dr Foster research director Roger Taylor said: “This information is vital to patients making choices about where they go for treatment.”

The Kennedy report into paediatric cardiac deaths at Bristol Royal Infirmary recommended all doctors operating on children should have specialist training