Author: Dr. Damian Roland

Children get ill. It is a predictable and universal event. The snotty nose, the frustrating cough, the clinginess of a high fever are all part and parcel of the challenge of parenthood. In the vast majority of cases, the unwell child comes nowhere near a health care professional. The self limiting illness resolving in a couple of days with a smiling toddler returned to their normal state of persistent mischief.

Unfortunately, there remain a variety of medical conditions, surgical complaints, and injuries that have devastating consequences for children and their families. [...] 

Author: Darren Cooper 

Looking at comparable healthcare systems in Europe, the United Kingdom has the worst five-year average mortality and excess deaths in childhood. Yes, there have been improvements in the last twenty years, but not at the same level as in comparable countries. When looked at more closely, it is clearly a complex issue that requires joined-up thinking and real determination to resolve, but some of the key factors for these poor rates include: [...]