Quality standard
Quality statement 2: Named medical specialist
Quality statement 2: Named medical specialist
Quality statement
Infants, children and young people with a life-limiting condition have a named medical specialist who leads and coordinates their care.
Rationale
Assigning a named medical specialist to an infant, child or young person with a life-limiting condition can improve care. A named medical specialist can coordinate care and provide information and support, be a consistent contact to ensure that the infant's, child's or young person's needs are taken into account. The named medical specialist may change if the care that is needed or the care setting changes.
Quality measures
The following measures can be used to assess the quality of care or service provision specified in the statement. They are examples of how the statement can be measured, and can be adapted and used flexibly.
Structure
Evidence of local arrangements to ensure that named medical specialists are assigned to infants, children and young people with a life-limiting condition to lead and coordinate their care.
Data source: Local data collection.
Process
Proportion of infants, children and young people with a life-limiting condition who have a named medical specialist.
Numerator – the number in the denominator who have a named medical specialist.
Denominator – the number of infants, children and young people with a life-limiting condition.
Data source: Local data collection based on audits of patient care records.
What the quality statement means for different audiences
Service providers (such as hospitals, hospices, GP practices and community nursing services) ensure that a named medical specialist is available to lead and coordinate the care of infants, children and young people with a life-limiting condition.
Health and social care practitioners (such as secondary care doctors, nurses, GPs, community nurses and care workers) are aware of care pathways to ensure that infants, children and young people with a life-limiting condition have a named medical specialist who leads and coordinates their care.
Commissioners (NHS England) ensure that they commission services in which infants, children and young people with a life-limiting condition have a named medical specialist who leads and coordinates their care.
Babies, children and young people with a condition that may shorten their life have a healthcare professional who is their main contact. This person leads and coordinates their care as well as providing ongoing information and support.
Source guidance
End of life care for infants, children and young people with life-limiting conditions: planning and management. NICE guideline NG61 (2016), recommendation 1.2.2