System-wide Paediatric Observations Tracking (SPOT) Programme

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is working in partnership with NHS England and the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) to establish a single National Paediatric Early Warning Score and system, (PEWS) for England.

While many acute hospitals have developed their own programmes to improve the recognition and response to deterioration, this has created inconsistencies across regions and the country. This is unlike other countries, including the devolved nations of Scotland and Northern Ireland, where single PEWS systems for children are in place. The RCN has been calling for a single system across England for over a decade.

In June 2018, NHS England and NHS Improvement, the RCPCH and the RCN came together to establish a joint National PEWS programme board for England.

The RCN is a member of the Programme Board and many RCN members have been involved in the working and clinical advisory groups.

Testing and evaluation of the PEWS charts had been due to take place between April and December 2020 with a national roll out from April 2021.Due to the COVID-19 pandemic testing did not begin until October 2021 and this has only been in a small number of sites.

Professor Dave Clarke Podcast - The Paediatric Early Warning Score 

Below you can listen to a short podcast from Professor Dave Clarke, chair of the Children and Young People's Acute Care Forum, talking about the Paediatric Early Warning Score.