National Transitions conference on working with young people

19th January 2006


The Department of Health is organising a conference on National Transitions, taking place on 23 March at the Royal College of Physicians in London, aimed at health and social care professionals working with young people.

Under the National Service Framework (NSF) for Children, Young People and Maternity Services, this one-day conference aims to:
  • raise the profile of transitions in paediatric and adult health services
  • summarise the research and evidence available to support good transitions and to understand in part the consequences of poor transitions
  • share the experiences of young people as they have made the transition to adult health services
  • launch the Good Transitions for Young People guidance document
  • learn of developments in adolescent healthcare internationally, with a special link to colleagues in the US
  • increase understanding on important aspects of transition for young people, eg links with primary care, the cultural differences between adult and paediatric services, support for commissioning and transition training
Key speakers include Janet McDonagh, ARC Clinical Senior Lecturer in Paediatric and Adolescent Rheumatology at the University of Birmingham and Professor Terence Stevenson of the School of Human Development, Division of Child Health at the University of Nottingham and a National Patient Safety Agency clinical specialty adviser on paediatrics and child health. Liam Byrne MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Care Services is also invited to speak.

The event will feature young people's viewpoints; a live panel question and answer session with colleagues in Boston Massachusetts; an international perspectives panel discussion; practitioner workshops and the next stage of the NSF.

Organisations and services are invited to showcase posters and displays of good practice at the event, email: beverley.walker@dh.gsi.gov.uk for more details.

For more information on the conference and to sign-up online, visit: http://www.frameworks-city.ltd.uk/transitions.asp