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The Association for the Welfare of Child
Health(AWCH)
IRENE HANCOCK National President
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Healthy Risk or Risky Health WHA/CHA
Conference 31 March 4 April 2003 Canberra
Australia
Funded by NSW Health Supported by the University
of Western Sydney
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Quality Care and Protection in Childrens Wards

• Listening to Parents
• Hospitalising children in paediatric wards
• Employing paediatric trained staff
• Policies and guidelines
• Child protection

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Quality Care and Protection in Childrens Wards
If you disbelieve a mother you do so at your
peril and the peril of the child. They are very
acute observers.   Listening to parents
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Quality Care and Protection in Childrens Wards
Children always come off second best   Children
should be cared for in paediatric wards by
appropriately qualified staff and separate from
adult patients
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Quality Care and Protection in Childrens Wards
Health Care Policy Relating to Children and Their
Families NSW Health Guidelines for the
Hospitalisation of Children 1998 ACHS/AWCH
Guidelines for Hospital Based Child and
Adolescent Care 1998 Staff need to be adequately
educated in the interpretation, application and
use of current policies, guidelines and
accreditation principles.
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Quality Care and Protection in Childrens Wards
Children and Young Persons (Care Protection
Act) 1998 NSW Children and Young Persons Act
1999 ACT   Child Protection
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Quality Care and Protection in Childrens Wards
Children and adult patients need to be nursed
separately Parents/carers need to be included as
a part of the health care team using a negotiated
model of care Health services need to employ
staff who are qualified in the needs of
paediatric patients and their families
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Quality Care and Protection in Childrens Wards
Criminal record checks and child protection
training be part of the orientation program for
both staff and volunteers who work with children
and young people in the health care
system. Health care staff need to be aware of,
understand and be able to implement the relevant
child health care policies.
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Quality Care and Protection in Childrens Wards
Contact AWCH
Phone [phone] Fax [phone] Email
awch_at_awch.com.au Address PO Box 113, Westmead,
2145 Website www.awch.org.au Library Database
www.tdm.com.au/awch.htm
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