Children deserve adequately trained doctors

Abstract

Abstract Children treated in different European countries continue to have very variable outcomes. Among several factors that might affect these outcomes, organisation of primary care services for children and training programmes for primary care clinicians are likely to be important factors. Children have an unquestionable right to health, safety, and wellbeing. Children have the right to access the highest possible standards of health-care services and facilities, both in primary health care and when they need specialised care. Any restriction of provision of appropriate care would contradict article 24 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Paediatric primary care is an academic and scientific discipline dealing with all issues affecting the health and wellbeing of infants, children, and adolescents from birth to adulthood in the context of their family, community, and culture. The primary clinician, ideally a paediatrician, is the first contact for children until they reach adulthood and is thus responsible for provision of comprehensive and continuing care throughout infancy, childhood, and adolescence. Paediatric care in both primary care and hospital settings needs special knowledge, ethics, empathic behaviour, and access to services, including disease prevention and health promotion. These aspects are therefore mandatory for all paediatric training both for paediatricians and family doctors. There should be a structured and accountable paediatric training programme for all doctors providing first-line care to children in primary care. When family doctors provide primary health care close collaboration with paediatricians and adequate continued training in both paediatrics and primary care is advised. Moreover, all children need timely access to professional paediatric advice.