CoLab Partnership: Managing Complexity in Children's Healthcare - a partnership for change

The CoLab is a group of individuals and organisations committed to working together and sharing good practice and resources to:

• improve the healthcare of children with medical complexity and their families
• provide support and educational materials for the professionals looking after them

The collaborative brings together individuals and organisations to solve problems, develop resources and find better ways of working.

Four workstreams have been set up and a majority of members have committed to joining one or more of these groups. They are:

1. Understanding the evidence for new and existing models of care including how we approach an international literature review and develop any potential quality improvement, service development or research programmes (for which funding will need to be sought).
2. Developing a consistent approach to complex, contentious or high-profile cases including how second opinions are sought, how parents are supported, how mediation is managed, and how consistent ethical advice is obtained.
3. Identifying education and training needs and developing appropriate programmes for those working in the field. This will focus on topics which are not already covered through existing formal undergraduate and postgraduate professional training. Again, funding applications will be needed. A longer-term aim will be to also develop programmes for parents and carers, but we need to approach this stepwise.
4. Clarifying and finding solutions for the support needs of staff groups. This will include a potential analysis of the needs of nurses and allied health professionals, given that the emphasis to date through the Spotlight meetings has been more strongly on paediatricians. This workstream will also look at how we support parents, although this will need to be led by some of the voluntary sector groups.

How can you get involved?

• Learn about The CoLab and/or email about your experience in the area 
• Join The CoLab to help with its ambitious work programme - you can join as an individual and/or also express interest for your organisation to join. 
• Come to its exciting launch conference and meet like-minded people: Through the Complexity Maze - Birmingham Children’s Hospital on 31st January 2020 

Visit The CoLab website