Clinical

After COVID-19: preparing staff for future surges in respiratory illness in children...

Why you should read this article: • To learn about a project that aimed to support teams caring for children and young people to reflect on their experiences and the effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic • To recognise the need to ensure staff are adequately prepared to manage any future surges in respiratory illness effectively • To be aware of the potential long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on emotional health and well-being The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic was a challenging experience for children and young people’s services, and the workforce. The Valuing All Staff Together programme was a one-year project hosted by the North West Paediatric Critical Care, Surgery in Children, Long Term Ventilation Operational Delivery Network to support teams caring for children and young people to reflect on their experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic. Using an online survey, focus groups and interviews, it gave staff the opportunity to explore and understand the effects of the pandemic and the subsequent surge in demand, including how these affected services and the emotional health and well-being of staff. This would enable better preparation for future surges in respiratory illness in terms of learning, training and development. This article describes the programme’s aim, method and findings, and the main recommendations for practice.