Queensland Child and Youth Clinical Network – influencing children’s health policy through collaboration

Abstract

Introduction: The Queensland Child and Youth Clinical Network (QCYCN) was established in 2009 to drive service improvements in the care of children and young people. Practice change: Best practice determined the QCYCN as the peak body of expertise to serve as an independent point of reference for clinicians, health services and governments. The QCYCN embraces a collaborative approach to lead the development of evidence based optimisation reform. Aim: Engage, integrate and empower paediatric clinicians to innovate for service improvement and embed integrated evidence based practice modelswhich improve the health of children, young people and their families. Targeted stakeholders: paediatric clinicians; policy makers; government and non-government agencies; consumers; universities. Timeline: Established subnetworks to tackle key priorities of child development, child health, obesity, paediatric palliative care and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health; time limited projects for epilepsy and family centred care; school based youth health nurse subnetwork. Highlights: Child development clinician handbooks Child health framework implementation guide PEDS/ASQ3 integration Paediatric palliative care charter Epilepsy family handbook Family centred care resources Obesity model of care Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander child and youth health worker governance structure Model of care for developmental needs of children with childhood heart disease. Sustainability: Sustainability is the key element for the QCYCN review, however recurrent funding is an identified issue. Transferability: The QCYCN collaborates with all levels across the care continuum to ensure service improvement outputs are adaptable to varying contexts. Conclusions: The QCYCN is a leader in facilitating new integrated paediatric models of care. Discussions: Clinicians are the driving force to develop sustainable service improvement change Lessons learnt: Key drivers for the success - effective leadership; positive internal and external relationships; high level of credibility