Choose the right care path for your little ones

Parents and carers of children aged five years and under are invited to attend the family-friendly launch of a new health campaign at Oldham Library next week.

The ‘Choose the Right Care Path’ event will take place at lunchtime next Wednesday, May 16, in the library’s Performance Space, in a bid to raise awareness of the healthcare options available to families when their little ones are under the weather.

Health and communications professionals from NHS Oldham Clinical Commissioning Group will be on hand to reveal the bright new campaign to parents, including the website, social media pages and free children’s health app, giving parents and carers access to health advice in the palm of their hands.

The multi-platform campaign focuses on promoting the right care in the right place at the right time, discouraging the use of A&E for the ‘little sicks’ - in other words, the problems that can be dealt with either at home or by other health professionals working in primary care across Oldham.

This approach will help ensure that children who need urgent treatment for ‘big sicks’ - including life threatening illnesses and injuries - have access to the care they need at our local Accident & Emergency department.

The campaign also aims to make families feel safe and confident in managing their young children’s conditions, giving them the tools they need to understand when it’s appropriate to contact a health professional and when it’s best to care for their under-fives at home.

Dr John Patterson, Chief Clinical Officer at NHS Oldham CCG and GP at Hilltop Practice in Fitton Hill, said: “We want to give families in Oldham the power to understand their children’s needs, manage their conditions and reduce the number of times they need to attend A&E for minor illnesses, or as I like to call them, the ‘little sicks’, creating the space and capacity needed in A&E for those children suffering from the ‘big sicks’, in other words the children who really do need urgent hospital care.

“This exciting campaign will help us to promote the fact that our Oldham-wide team of specialised, highly skilled GPs, practice nurses, children’s community nursing staff and pharmacists are all here to keep little ones healthy, happy and out of hospital wherever possible, meaning that families in Oldham are able to live more positive, healthier lives.”

Dr Harpal Hunjan, GP at Hopwood House surgery, which features in the campaign, added: “The launch event is a great opportunity for families to come along and hear about the ways we can support them to care for their little ones by choosing the right care path whether that is through administering self-care at home, booking a same day GP appointment, taking a trip to the pharmacy or asking for a referral to our Children’s Community Nursing Team.

"There’s a whole wealth of information and resources out there for families, and we want to help signpost them to take the right care pathways for their little ones, making sure everyone is able to access the right care in the right place at the right time.”

Emma Molden, Children’s Community Nursing Team Leader, also features in the campaign.

She said: “We’re really proud to be part of the wider NHS team who provide specialised, tailored healthcare to children under five in Oldham.

"We want this campaign to help families make appropriate decisions that keep children well for longer, enabling them to receive care in the right place and giving them the best health outcomes in the longer term.”

As the CCG moves towards a joint commissioning model with Oldham Council, the Choose the Right Care Path website, available at care.oldhamccg.nhs.uk also signposts visitors towards the Council’s Right Start, Oldham Family Information Service and Oldham Local Offer, enabling parents and carers to find up to date social care information and resources.

The website also hosts useful tools including a symptom and condition checker, links to the NHS Choices vaccination calendar, BMI weight calculator, birth to five development timeline and a quiz on raising healthy 0 to 5 year olds, and gives visitors the chance to download the free Child Health App.

Families, parents and carers are invited to attend the launch of Choose the Right Care Path next Wednesday (16th) from 12 midday to 1pm.

The Choose the Right Care Path launch will take place at the Performance Space at Oldham Library, Cultural Quarter, Greaves Street, Oldham, OL1 1AL.

There will be hot and cold drinks available, a child-friendly, healthy lunch and free face-painting to help keep the little ones occupied, while mums, dads and carers hear from our health professionals, enjoy the big reveal of the campaign and have the chance to try out the Oldham Child Health App.

Dr Patterson will speak at the event and attendees will also have the chance to join the CCG’s Health Huddle, enabling them to actively engage with commissioning healthcare in Oldham.

To register your interest for this launch, please go to: https://underfiveslaunch.eventbrite.co.uk and let organisers know you want to go along.