How paediatricians can work differently to improve care and wellbeing

Professor Steve Turner shares concise insights on how paediatricians can work differently to enhance patient care and improve their own professional wellbeing. He emphasises that caring for patients and their families must remain central to paediatric practice. Key strategies he highlights include:

- Rapid review clinics to see children promptly during business hours, avoiding unnecessary overnight visits to tired paediatricians.

- Early involvement of senior decision-makers (ST4 level and above, including consultants) to reduce unnecessary tests and ineffective treatments, ensuring the right care is delivered at the right time and place.

- Hospital at home models, enabling more children to receive care in their own homes rather than in hospital, which requires a cultural shift for clinicians accustomed to hospital-based care.

- Improved discharge planning, providing support to families after hospital discharge to reduce unnecessary GP or emergency department visits. He advocates for open-ended discharge plans where parents can easily re-engage with paediatric services if needed.

Professor Turner’s reflections offer practical, patient-centered approaches to transform paediatric care delivery and support clinicians in their roles. This interview took place at the RCPCH conference 2025 in Glasgow, Scotland.