Clinical guideline

Resource

Medication safety: Best practice for effective paediatric ward rounds - clinical practice guideline

Published in December 2023, this clinical practice guideline developed by RCPCH and the Neonatal and Paediatric Pharmacy Group Joint Standing Committee on Medicines (RCPCH-NPPG), covers the inclusion of medication analysis in the paediatric ward round environment to improve medication safety.

Drugs and medicines

Clinical guidelines and standards

Patient safety

Document

Mpox (monkeypox) outbreak 2024 - guidance

This guidance covers the pathway and clinical considerations in the following situations: 1. Initial assessment of a child or young person (CYP) with suspected mpox 2. Ongoing care of suspected mpox 3. Child contacts of mpox 4. Newborn baby of a mother with suspected or confirmed mpox. It ...

Community child health

General paediatrics

Infectious diseases

Resource

Screening of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) - clinical guideline

ROP is one of the few causes of childhood visual disability that is largely preventable. This evidence-based guideline is by RCPCH in collaboration with Royal College of Ophthalmologists (RCOphth) and British Association of Perinatal Medicine (BAPM), published in 2022 and revised in October 2024. ...

Neonatal medicine

Perinatal medicine

Clinical guidelines and standards

Document

National guidance for the management of children in hospital with viral respiratory tract infections (2025)

These updated recommendations on the management of children in hospital with viral respiratory tract infections in hospital settings are for clinicians to support planning in partnership with local infection prevention control teams. While some recommendations describe organisational structures i...

Resource

Management of children and young people with an acute decrease in conscious level - Clinical guideline

Decreased conscious level can be considered an acute neurological emergency. It is characterised by significant brain impairment, which needs a rapid and methodical approach to evaluation and treatment. Our evidence-based clinical guideline - updated in 2015 and reviewed in 2016 and 2019 - provi...

Neurodisability

Neurology

Clinical guidelines and standards

Resource

Diagnosis of death by neurological criteria (DNC) in infants, children and adolescents

The RCPCH updated the criteria for the diagnosis of death by neurological criteria (DNC) in infants, children and adolescents. This is presented in Appendix 2 of 'A Code of Practice on the diagnosis and confirmation of death', published by the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges in January 2025.

Child and adolescent mortality

Intensive care medicine

Neonatal medicine

Neurology

Infant health

Resource

Palate examination: Identification of cleft palate in the newborn - best practice guide

A cleft palate occurs when the roof of the mouth has not joined completely. A delay in its detection may adversely affect growth, development and timely medical and surgical management. This RCPCH evidence-based best practice guide, updated in 2025, provides recommendations on the optimal examina...

Neonatal medicine

Primary care

Clinical guidelines and standards

Resource

Stroke in childhood - clinical guideline for diagnosis, management and rehabilitation

This evidence-based clinical guideline (published 2017) provides recommendations for all UK paediatricians and healthcare professionals involved in the regulation or practice of the care of children and young people who have had or are suspected of having a stroke. You can download the full guidelin...

Clinical guidelines and standards

Resource

Pre-procedure pregnancy checking for under-16s: guidance for clinicians

Determining pregnancy status in young female patients under 16 years of age is an area that clinicians may find difficult. This practical guide sets out the issues, risks and approaches that NHS organisations may consider when developing their policies in this area.

Surgery

Quality improvement