The current BSPGHAN advice on shielding will change on  August 1st in line with Government advice. From 1 August, the government will pause shielding unless the transmission of COVID-19 in the community starts to rise significantly. See GOV.UK: guidance on shielding and protecting people who are clinically extremely vulnerable from coronavirus.    ** This guidance will be updated on 1 August. See specific advice for our patients’ families  https://www.cicra.org/news/coronavirus/ http://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/files.crohnsandcolitis.org.uk/Shielding_UK_nations.pdf https://childliverdisease.org/coming-out-of-lockdown-how-do-we-integrate-back-into-a-new-world/ **Clinically extremely vulnerable children and young people (0 to 18) Specialists in paediatric medicine have reviewed the evidence on the level of risk posed to children and young people from COVID-19. The latest evidence indicates that the risk of serious illness for most children and young people is low. All children and...

Dear Members Pause of the National Audit of Quality Standards for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition ('the PGHAN Audit'). The RCPCH/BSPGHAN PGHAN Audit Project Team have put the audit on hold during the COVID-19 pandemic and will reinvigorate the audit in August. The pause has given us an opportunity to discuss consider potential changes to the dataset that might be required due to the effects of COVID-19 on the healthcare system and PGHAN services in particular.  I am grateful for all of your input and support with the PGHAN Audit to date.  The dataset had been agreed and built into a data platform which was ready to pilot in May/June. The PGHAN Audit clinical lead had registered in around 45% of Health Boards and Trusts across the UK by the end of April.  Please can I ask you to contact your Medical Director if you haven’t recruited a PGHAN Audit clinical lead. The pause in the audit has offered us chance to reflect on its purpose in the context of BSPGHAN’s...

Dear members This week there is has been much to watch. We are uncertain what releasing of lockdown means in terms of keeping our patients and ourselves safe; what antibody testing of NHS staff may mean, if contact tracing, and wearing of surgical masks in public, and quarantine for travellers,  may contain a second wave of Covid-19.  We are watching out for the new paediatric multi system inflammatory syndrome, vaccine development , and the scramble for Covid-19 trial outcomes. What does seem certain is that harnessing new ways of working, planning the recovery of services and maintaining social distancing will be important to maintain for many months as we move out of lockdown and start to resume paused activity. Please do take the time to respond to the request the questions in the survey so that Bspghan can support members in capturing beneficial clinical changes Update to RCPCH advice - Shielding children BSPGHAN continues to work with colleagues in the RCPCH to...

Dear members,   Please find: 1. BSPGHAN Updated shielding guidance and advice on returning to school for children with gastrointestinal, liver and nutritional problems and 2. BSPGHAN IBD Working Group - Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) and COVID-19 in children with IBD- Position Statement: Guidance for Returning to School  Best wishes Sue Protheroe  BSPGHAN President  28th May 2020