When life is feeling quite challenging and the mountain of work seems to rise into the distance, it is good to be reminded why we do our jobs as paediatricians and why our work is valuable and can absolutely make an impact. I was reminded of exactly this at the International Maternal and Newborn Health Conference in Cape Town this week. I have had the privilege to join the RCPCH Global Team who were presenting the work they have done with the Rwandan Paediatric Association on improving perinatal outcomes across a large number of hospitals in Rwanda.
My ‘sit up and be counted’ moment was listening to the presentations marking the launch of the World Health Organisation’s 'Born Too Soon' report. The headline is that 152 million babies were born preterm over the last decade. The very thought of 152 million preterm babies is beyond my comprehension. At least 10% of these babies died, and prematurity is now the leading cause of death in under fives globally. Progress in tackling this enormous problem has stalled around the world for reasons that are perfectly understandable; the pandemic, regional conflict and climate change being the commonest. Understandable – yes. Unacceptable – most definitely. This is a real wake up call for the world and we all have a role to play in addressing this.
I am really proud of the work the College is doing. The Global Operations Team works with partners in a number of countries and newborn health is always a priority. Our wider advocacy and media work reflects the importance of these issues, and we must all play our part in trying to tackle this. Don’t let us be having this same conversation in 10 years’ time when the next WHO report is released.
Being reminded of our values and core mission can be very helpful. The Coronation last weekend was a good opportunity to remember where our Royal College, and the British Paediatric Association before, started from and how our Royal Charter requires us to ‘further the art and science of Paediatrics’. Our Patron The Princess Royal has a particular interest in global child health and has been an important supporter of our global work. The College team has collated news items with a royal theme from our archive which you will enjoy.
I am such a fan of the PAFTAs! I love the way the suspense builds over months as each region makes their awards. And now we know who the national winners are! They will get their moment in the limelight at the RCPCH Conference in Glasgow. So, if you haven’t already bought your ticket – please do and come and see these incredible colleagues receive their awards on the stage in the main auditorium. As I mentioned in my email to members last week, our Conference will feel a bit different this year but we are going ahead. Conference delegates will continue to be updated with information and updates as normal.
We have a new Officer for Wales. It’s always lovely to welcome a new member to our team of Officers at the College and I was intrigued to see who would follow on from David Tuthill who did such a brilliant job for the last five years. Dr Nick Wilkinson is our new Welsh Officer and he is going to be a crucial advocate for children and paediatricians in Wales. Wales has a number of key child health issues that need addressing, not least the impact of poverty. Knowing how enthusiastic Welsh paediatricians are, I know he will be warmly supported, and we wish him well for his tenure.
Finally – I have been truly touched by some of the kind messages and supportive emails I have received over the last few weeks. Leadership roles may look glamorous from afar but those of us who have the privilege of leading know that it can be bumpy and sometimes quite lonely. I value deeply the support many of you show me. Times are very challenging both within the NHS and at our College currently, but I am certain we will find a way through, guided by the fact that we have a mission to improve the health of children both at home and around the world.
With my best wishes and take care,
Camilla
This message was emailed on 12 May 2023 to all RCPCH members opted in to receive College updates / professional updates. You can update your contact preferences at any time - log in to your RCPCH online account, go to My account | Your contact preferences, then make sure you've ticked College updates / professional updates.
This web page was published on 1 June 2023.