17 March 2011
Specialist nurses who lead care for children and young people across the British Isles will meet in Jersey on Friday.
Ann Kelly, lead nurse for children in Jersey, will welcome colleagues from all over the UK to the quarterly meeting of the Association of Chief Children's Nurses (ACCN). Senior nurses from major children's hospitals including Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool, and Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham will attend. Representatives from Southampton Children's Hospital, which Jersey has close links with for work such as paediatric oncology and education, will also attend.
The meeting will be held at the General Hospital. It is Jersey's turn to host the event, which gives paediatric nurses the opportunity to discuss issues surrounding the care of children and young people in hospital.
Describing the group, which will consist of around a dozen senior nurses, Ann Kelly said "The ACCN exists to influence child health policy, strategy and nursing. Membership includes academics, senior nurse leaders and managers from children’s hospitals and paediatric departments from many of the general hospitals across the British Isles."
Topics for the day include managing training for children's nurses, reviewing feedback from the Royal College of Paediatrics about child health, and looking at the development of a national audit tool.
Jersey's chief nurse, Rose Naylor, will also attend the meeting following a Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) roadshow in Jersey on Thursday.
"This will be the third time the ACCN has met in Jersey and it provides an opportunity for local senior children's nurses and our own chief nurse to attend and discuss topical issues around child patient care, and safety" added Mrs Kelly.
"Jersey derives many benefits from the membership which include ensuring paediatric nursing in Jersey is being influenced by the national child health agenda as well as being able to access a wide range of expertise for advice and peer support in this specialist field.
"It is very positive for Jersey that we are able to be involved in this group, as it means we are not isolated when it comes to talking about the latest developments and education in the field of care for children and young people. It is a very good network to be a part of."
gov.je