North west London's first children and young persons' emergency department
The newly named Children and Young Persons' Emergency Department will now treat all young people under the age of 18. Previously, some young people would be treated in adult A&E.
LNWH is the first Trust in North West London to take on this approach.
Children and young people will now be seen separate from the adult pathways. This means the right care is provided in the right place and the right teams, with support from other specialities when needed. The other specialities include support from St. Giles Trust, a charity that runs a youth violence and exploitation support service.
According to LNWH, A young person comes to A&E an average three to four times before they end up in a major trauma centre, so preventative work is needed. This approach aims to reduce the likelihood of major injuries by producing risk assessments and violence reduction plans for young people at risk.
"We're the first in north west London to welcome children and young people into one unit, offering medical care and psychosocial support in the footprint of our emergency department."
