Electronic children’s observation system rolled out in Shropshire

An electronic children’s observation system has been rolled out at Shropshire’s two acute hospitals with the aim of improving care of children and young people.

The Paediatric Vitals solution, managed by System C, went live in July 2024 in the paediatric unit at the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford and the emergency departments at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.

It records vital signs using the National Paediatric Early Warning System (PEWS), replacing traditional paper charts and providing a standard approach to tracking children’s deterioration.

Staff at the hospitals are now able to record vital observations, such as heart and respiratory rates, temperature and blood pressure, on iPads which will show, in real time, when a child’s health is deteriorating and when escalation is needed.

Julie Plant, divisional director of nursing for women and children’s services at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, said: “We are one of the first hospitals to use the digital system and this is one of the many steps we are taking to improving the quality of care to our children and young people, and indeed, to support their parents and carers at a time when they are most anxious.

“Staff have worked very hard to ensure the new system was launched smoothly, with minimal disruption and with the involvement of the children, young people and families.

“I am so proud of what they have done and can only anticipate the impact of how much it is going to improve communication and patient safety”.

Paediatric Vitals allows clinicians to instantly access charts with real-time information from any of the devices within the trust for more accurate and timely monitoring.

Joshua Pagden, chief nursing information officer at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, said: “The introduction of Paediatric Vitals will transform the visibility of vital clinical information within paediatrics.

“As we move away from paper charts to a digital system, vital signs will be visible on our systems.

This will allow secure and confidential access for all the clinical teams involved in the patient’s care.

“It will also improve the communication of patient care, support handover activities and ensure this critical information is stored safely”.

Paediatric Vitals is one of several digital systems being launched as part of Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust’s ongoing large-scale digital transformation programme.

In April 2024, the trust rolled out a patient administration system as part of the first phase of its deployment of an electronic patient record from System C.