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Life is often unpredictable but at this time of year a few things are certain, including respiratory viruses and seasonal reflections. Wherever you are reading this, you’ll not be far from someone with flu; cases are rising across the Northern hemisphere and I hear the Antipodes are also affected. I hope you and yours have been spared the worst.

Reflecting on my 2025 college highlights in 300 words is a big ask, but I do like a challenge.  Our annual conference in Glasgow last May was a joyous three days, as were the membership ceremonies in Manchester, London and Edinburgh where we welcomed new members and fellows. Our Grand Rounds launched in September and have already become a regular Friday lunchtime fixture for members. I have enjoyed meeting members at numerous educational events across the UK and internationally, there is a fantastic buzz in the room when a group of us get together.

In the 2024 membership survey, you asked for support in research and leadership and I was delighted to see relevant courses launched in 2025. Our four nations policy and advocacy team reaped the harvest of their awesome work across public health and workforce.

A UK government Minister contacted me to thank the College for its advocacy on child poverty! And a big thanks to the examinations team in the UK and our seven overseas centres for hosting over 8000 exam sittings. Aside from all these achievements, there have been numerous other “fist pump moments” for me.

There is still plenty to do. Outcomes for children and young people in the UK and around the world need to be better. Our workforce is under pressure and overstretched while Resident Doctors in England will renew strike action later this week, and Scotland will begin their ballot this weekend. But by looking back at 2025 we can start 2026, our 30th year as a College, knowing that we can effect change to benefit our members, children and young people. If you are celebrating a religious festival in the coming weeks or are simply taking time away from work for a few days, I hope you, your family and friends enjoy quality time together.

#WDYCD4U – Leading the Way podcast series

Have you listened to RCPCH Podcasts lately? Our monthly ‘Leading the Way’ series launched this summer, hosted by Jonathan Darling, VP for Education and Professional Development. Each episode, under 30 minutes - ideal for a commute or stroll, features a member sharing their path to leadership in many forms.

Tomorrow’s episode turns the table: Jonathan is interviewed about his own experiences. You can subscribe to RCPCH Podcasts on Apple, Spotify and other podcast platforms or listen on our or on .

ADHD independent review

The Department of Health and Social Care has launched an independent review to examine how the health system currently delivers mental health, autism, and ADHD services. As paediatricians, we have seen firsthand the explosion in demand on these issues and it is crucial that this review will recognise and explore the different needs of children and young people relative to adults, particularly the importance of timely care during these important years of development, education and learning. We stand ready to engage, and

Child poverty strategy in England

The Government has published its long awaiting child poverty strategy, which aims to reduce costs for families and improve outcomes for children. The strategy represents a significant step forward for the health and wellbeing of children and their families. However, it is our feeling that without ambitious binding targets, this strategy falls short of ensuring no child grows up in poverty.

Devolved nations update

In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland we were pleased to launch our flu factsheets for paediatricians to share with families.  Please use this in conversations with your patients and their families. And do remember to get your own flu vaccine, I had mine a few weeks back now, but I’ve heard that uptake hasn’t been as high as it could have been from staff.

Wales

In Wales, the Chief Medical Officer Prof Isabel Oliver, has put prevention and child health firmly on the map. In her annual report, Reflecting on our Health, the Welsh CMO emphasised the importance of early years in ensuring equitable progress for all children. As we look ahead to how we can develop Wales into a Marmot Nation, we welcomed the report as an early sign of this work.

Not to be missed - the Welsh Government’s progress update on their Child Poverty Strategy. While there’s a huge amount of work going on to address the rates of poverty in Wales, it is clear that health inequalities are continuing to rise. In our response, we called for more to be done to reduce these inequalities and support vulnerable families.

Scotland

There’s also a lot of political activity where Mairi and the team will be raising the profile of our manifesto and key calls to action:

• RCPCH Scotland met with Scottish Greens manifesto coordinator to discuss priorities and share recommendations on prevention, early intervention, mental health and support in the community.
• And just in time ahead of the festive season, we are attending a Children First parliamentary roundtable focused on children's mental health and separately meeting with the Mental Health Minister to discuss ND pathways, services and our recommendations for improvement.

Coming in January 2026 - our new Digital Health Hub

As discussed at our Digital Paediatrics conference last month, digital transformation is reshaping health services in the UK and worldwide. New technologies can enhance communication, streamline administrative tasks and use data to support accurate decision-making. But how can you best identify, evaluate and use these digital solutions?

Next month we'll launch a new website, the RCPCH Digital Health Hub, especially for members. Its first resource is a digital solutions catalogue - you'll be able to search for curated solutions, recommended by members and reviewed for quality, safety and relevance to healthcare settings.

In case you missed it...

The College will be closed for normal business from the end of 23 December until 2 January. Staff will be checking and responding to urgent messages during this period, and you can still get in touch on our contact form.

We look forward to returning to work with renewed energy in 2026, and to celebrate our 30th year! 

Professor Steve Turner 

RCPCH President

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