Caring, sharing and preparing
NHS England’s Director of Nursing looks back on the eight months since the Child Protection – Information Sharing system was launched:
Last year, history was made with the launch of the Child Protection – Information Sharing system (CP-IS), the first national system of its kind.
CP-IS flags children identified as vulnerable by social services to NHS staff if they attend A&E, an outpatient department or other unscheduled care settings, and also unborn children who are subject to a child protection plan.
Having chaired the programme board that brought about CP-IS, and as professional lead in relation to safeguarding, I have been pleased and encouraged to see its spread and the increasing awareness of it, and I welcome the decision to employ a full-time clinical lead for CP-IS at NHS England.
A number of Local Authorities and NHS sites have gone live with CP-IS, including Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Lancashire Teaching Hospitals. Health professionals in those Trusts who have implemented CP-IS are already seeing the benefits, by identifying children on a Child Protection Plan, Looked After Child status and the mothers of an unborn child on a Child Protection Plan.
Some clinicians are identifying children who are vulnerable and at-risk presenting from out of area, something they would not previously have been able to do.
It is important that NHS Trusts and Local Authorities drive forward with their implementation plans for CP-IS to ensure that a greater cohort of children can be protected. Adopting a new system requires planning and changes, but every time an at-risk child is identified, this makes all the effort worthwhile. When information is not shared, children and young people can be placed at further risk.
We are working with all Designated Professionals to support implementation and benefits realisation and will shortly be issuing Designated Professionals Guidance. We are also working with designated safeguarding leads in CCGs to encourage and support their providers as they implement CP-IS in partnership with the relevant Local Authorities, ensuring an approach that bridges health and social care.
CP-IS is also included in the NHS Standard Contract for 2015/16, requiring providers to take steps towards implementing it and to liaise with local partners. In addition ISN ISB1609 – Child Protection – Information Sharing (CP-IS) was published on 7 July.
Child protection is, of course, about far more than having systems or procedures. It requires commitment, compassion and vigilance, demonstrated every day by so many health and social care staff and others. Their actions, often behind-the-scenes, deserve all our thanks.
To safeguard a child is to safeguard the future.
- Further information on how to implement CP-IS can be found at http://systems.hscic.gov.uk/cpis or by contacting the project team on cpis@hscic.gov.uk
- You can also watch videos on how CP-IS can really make a difference and tell us what you think of the films.
- Follow Hilary Garratt on Twitter: @HilaryGarratt
Hilary Garratt
Hilary Garratt CBE, BSc, MSc, RGN, SCPHN (RHV), PGCE is the Deputy Chief Nursing Officer NHS England and NHS Improvement.
Hilary leads the implementation of a range of national programmes that focus on safeguarding vulnerable people and programmes that support the professional development and leadership of the nursing profession.
Hilary is a registered Nurse and Health Visitor, with 36 years’ experience of working in clinical, public health and Executive leadership roles in the NHS. Hilary has held a number of Executive Director posts across both commissioning and provider organisations in addition to holding and Deputy Chief Executive post for both. Hilary has been working at National Director level for the last 7 years.
In addition to her professional life, Hilary enjoys volunteering at the front line and also for the third sector. From 2013 – 2017 Hilary worked for BBC Children in Need as a committee member that undertook grant making for the North of England. Hilary also engages in hands on volunteering, working with the homeless and other vulnerable groups in her home city.
Hilary received a CBE in the 2017 New Years Honours for services to Nursing and her national work to safeguard some of the most vulnerable people in society. In 2018 Hilary was nominated as one of the country’s 400 Women of Achievement and Inspiration.
Follow Hilary on Twitter: @HilaryGarratt.