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A new focus on improving care for children and young people will be unveiled later this year, Secretary of State Andrew Lansley announced today.

The 鈥�Children鈥檚 and Young People鈥檚 outcomes strategy鈥� will focus the health service on improving health results for children, including those needing primary, hospital and urgent care, and children with long-term conditions.聽聽

It will identify health issues that matter most to children and young people, and how a modern NHS will meet their needs.

Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said:

鈥淥ur ambition for the Children鈥檚 and Young People鈥檚 Health Outcomes Strategy is a simple one - to improve outcomes for children and young people鈥檚 health.

鈥淲e will bring together people and resources from across the NHS, social care and wider children鈥檚 services to develop a clear set of goals to give all children the right start in life.

鈥淏y intervening early we will be to able to influence patterns of behaviour and can ensure that children and young people get the quality of care, services and support that they deserve.鈥�

To inform the strategy, a group of independent experts from Local Government, the NHS and charities will hear views from children, parents, carers and wider families as well as health professionals.

The Children鈥檚 and Young People鈥檚 Forum will be jointly chaired by Professor Ian Lewis, Medical Director at the Alder Hey Children鈥檚 NHS Foundation Trust, and Christine Lenehan, Director at the Council for Disabled Children.聽聽

Prof Ian Lewis said:

鈥淭his is a welcome opportunity to focus on children and young people in order to ensure that the modernisation of health services work well for them.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a genuine chance to make a difference to improve the availability and quality of healthcare provided to them by the NHS. We look forward to working alongside other experts as part of the Children鈥檚 and Young People鈥檚 Forum.鈥�

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Notes for Editors:

1. For media enquiries please ring the Department of Health newsdesk on 0207 210 5221
2. The Children鈥檚 and Young People鈥檚 Forum has been designed on the NHS Future Forum model. The Forum will build on work already planned through the Health and Well-being Board learning network and theSENand Disability Pathfinder programme.
3. The Forum will have 52 members, invited by the Secretary of State, and meet once a month over a three month period of engagement with appropriate stakeholders (January to March), before reporting back and submitting their recommendations to the Government later in the year.