Paediatricians shun community work

The number of paediatricians who want to work in child protection
is at a “worrying level”, according to a new survey of the
profession.

The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health report states
that although there was a “rapid” rise in the number of doctors
working in paediatrics overall – up 12.1 per cent between 2001 and
2003 – the number working in the community rose by just 0.3 per
cent in the same period, from 1,544 to 1,549. This represents a
“virtual standstill” according to the report.

Phillip Noyes, director of public policy at the NSPCC, said the
charity was concerned that the profession was not doing enough to
explain its response to concerns over the conduct of paediatricians
in several high-profile cases.

But he said that the profession was bound by the fact that cases
were continuing. “As soon as we can start exploring what has and
hasn’t gone wrong the better,” he said.

President of the RCPCH, Professor Sir Alan Craft, said the area was
“critically important” and that paediatricians played a central
role in child protection work.