Final Report > Recommendations > The care of children

The care of children

Responsibility for children's services

167. A National Director for Children's Healthcare Services should be appointed to promote improvements in healthcare services provided for children.
168. Consideration should be given to the creation of an office of Children's Commissioner in England, with the role of promoting the rights of children in all areas of public policy and seeking improvements to the ways in which the needs of children are met. Healthcare would be one of the areas covered by such a commissioner. Were such an office to be created, we would see it as being in addition to, rather than in place of, our other recommendations about the need to improve the quality of leadership in children's healthcare services. [5]
169. The Cabinet Committee on Children and Young People's Services should specifically include in its remit matters to do with healthcare and health services for children and young people.
170. Each health authority and each primary care group or primary care trust should designate a senior member of staff who should have responsibility for commissioning children's healthcare services locally.
171. All trusts which provide services for children as well as adults, should have a designated executive member of the board whose responsibility it is to ensure that the interests of children are protected and that they are cared for in a paediatric environment by paediatrically trained staff.

Footnotes

[5] One Panel member was of the definite opinion that an office of Children's Commissioner in England should be established to deal with any matter affecting the rights or welfare of children