Global Child Health - Strengthening the paediatric workforce for better health outcomes

Summary: Paediatric training and the practice of paediatrics is built on the bedrock of ensuring best possible health outcomes for all children, optimising opportunity for those without full health and contributing to a voice, in advocacy, for children. In the world’s high-income countries (HICs), child health outcomes are comparatively good, and the paediatric workforce well trained to manage the health issues of children. Paediatric training and continuing professional development is generally under the authority of paediatric societies or colleges. Such organisations are well funded and supported, have long traditions of curriculum and resource development with supervisors trained in postgraduate training and supervision. They have a history of matching training needs to the health needs of their children. Some attempt at supporting advocacy and a voice for children is made, and a sense that paediatricians do all they can for the underprivileged is instilled during training. Such approaches are right and proper, but do they miss something fundamental? The question is the starting point of this podcast. ADC Global Child Health editor Nick Brown interviews Professor Kevin Forsyth (Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Flinders University School of Medicine, Adelaide, Australia) about his article published in the June 2017 edition of ADC. <p>The article 'Strengthening the global paediatric workforce: the need for a global strategy to ensure better health outcomes for children' is accessible on the ADC website: http://adc.bmj.com/content/102/6/585.</p>