Mixed results for children's care

The commission said specialist training is needed to treat children

Hospitals in Devon and Cornwall are performing "consistently high" with the specialist care they provide for children.

The Healthcare Commission looked at whether hospital staff are properly trained and have the specialist skills to provide good quality care.

Child protection, assessing levels of pain and administering the correct pain relief was also monitored.

The health watchdog said all hospitals still need to make some improvements.

Children are not 'mini adults' - they can't always articulate their symptoms Anna Walker, Healthcare Commission

Hospitals within the Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust, the Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust and the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation trust were reported as performing "consistently high" or improving in many of the 19 areas assessed by the commission.

However, some were considered to be "consistently low" performing in other areas and a few showed a deterioration.

Anna Walker, the commission's chief executive, said the review showed more work was needed.

"Children are not 'mini adults' - they can't always articulate their symptoms or level of pain and some illnesses that affect children are rarely seen in adults," she said.

"That's why it is so important that staff are equipped with the skills and training they need to assess and treat children."