Are young people welcome in the English National Health Service?

Abstract

An audit of baseline compliance with contemporary health care policies pertinent to the care of young people in hospital was undertaken in 1 large English District General Hospital. Children’s and adult services within the hospital were benchmarked against the government audit tool standards. The aim of the study was to identify good and less optimum compliance to best practice policy driven benchmarks of care, using a 1–4 scale. Each clinical area within the hospital was contacted to make arrangements with members of the inter-professional team to complete the baseline benchmarking exercise. The audit was conducted over 3 days and the majority of the evidence sourced comprised of documented evidence and verbal affirmation of the individual perceptions of key informants of how the various clinical areas scored against the best practice benchmarks. Scores of policy compliance in some clinical areas of the hospital ranged from 1 not yet started (non-compliant) through to 4 you’re welcome (fully compliant). The results demonstrate that many of the clinical areas within the hospital are making good efforts to ensure full compliance to policy guidelines and mandates. There are some aspects of policy standards that hospital has yet to fully embrace. This initial benchmarking exercise on behalf of 1 English hospital has revealed some areas of outstanding and good practice which have the potential to be shared.

• Child health policy
• health care audit
• user involvement in healthcare
• young people in hospital