Developing new Children's guidance - latest news

April 2007

The GMC is launching new guidance for doctors in relation to children and young people in autumn 2007.

We have been consulting children, young people and a wide range of stakeholders on the guidance, which states that doctors must always act in the best interests of children and young people and take into account their views. It covers a wide range of issues including confidentiality; assessing a young person’s ability to make decisions about their treatment; child protection; sexual activity and contraception.

The development of the guidance has been taking place since 2005. During the development process we have involved a wide range of people. One example of the various methods we used to get feedback was a Citizen's Jury. You can download the full report of the Citizen's Jury (472kb, pdf) on this site.

Poster competition

During the consultation period, we have also been running a poster competition, in which we asked children and young people to design a poster depicting how they would like to be treated by their doctor.

The winners in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland were awarded an iPod. The UK winner also got to meet Helen Flanagan, Coronation Street's Rosie Webster, on the set of the famous soap opera.

UK winner

The winning design, by Paul McAleenan aged 13 from Northern Ireland, was chosen from 550 UK entries.

Helen Flanagan presented Paul McAleenan from County Down with his prize of an iPod on the set of Coronation Street.

Read more about Paul's winning entry (GMC press office website)

Helen and UK winner Paul McAleenan, 13.

 

     

Above: Paul's winning entry

Paul, who was the Northern Ireland winner, beat off fierce competition from the winners in Scotland, Wales and England.

Winner in Scotland

Rhiannon Macleod aged 9 from Inverness was the Scottish winner. Rhiannon was presented with an iPod at the ‘Snoezeleum’ sensory room at the Children’s Ward in Raigmore Hospital by Jane Todd, Head of Scottish Affairs at GMC Scotland.

Read more about Rhiannon's winning entry (GMC press office website)

Scottish winner Rhiannon, 9, with Jane Todd.

 

     

Above: Rhiannon's poster

Winner in Wales

Danielle Baines aged 14 from Connahs Quay High School is the Welsh regional winner. Danielle was presented with an iPod at her school by Natalie Drury, Head of Welsh Affairs, GMC. Danielle’s winning design was chosen from 87 entries from across Wales.

Read more about Danielle's winning entry (GMC press office website)

Wales winner Danielle, 14, pictured with teacher and head of year Viki Smith and the GMC's Natalie Drury.

 

     

Above: Danielle's poster

Winner in England

Inderjit Mehroke, 15 from Hounslow is the regional England winner of a UK-wide poster competition for under 18s.

Read more about Inderjit's winning entry (GMC press office website)

England winner Inderjit with Michael Keegan, a policy adviser in the GMC's Standards and Ethics team.

     

Above: Inderjit's poster

Background

The GMC, in partnership with Teenage Cancer Trust and Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity ran the competition as part of a three-month consultation to find out what young people think of doctors and how they could do better so that when the new guidance is issued it properly reflects their views. The consultation ended last month and received over 600 responses, with more than 350 from under 18s.

Dr Rosalind Ranson, Chair of the GMC working group said:
"Young people are individuals with independent voices that need to be listened to and have rights that should be respected. Under 18s make up over a fifth of the UK’s population and have different needs and concerns to those of adults. This is the first time the GMC has set standards for doctors specifically about children and young people."

Coronation Street’s Helen Flanagan said:
"I’m delighted to be presenting Paul with his prize. 15-year-old Rosie Webster experienced how big the differences can be between what a parent expects and what their child wants, when she was discovered having under-age sex with her boyfriend. It is important that doctors respect the views of young people and actively try to find out their views."