Paediatrician on call for Asquith settings
Asquith Nurseries has appointed an in-house consultant paediatrician to give healthcare advice to children and parents and devise health policies for nursery staff.
Dr Andy Raffles is director of Children's Services for the East and North Herts NHS Trust, and is also a fellow of the University of Hertfordshire and a lecturer in paediatrics for the University of Cambridge.
His role will be as an adviser on health-related policies.
'If Asquith need to come up with a strategy related to a particular infection or if the position on swine flu changes, I will work with Asquith on how we can manage that,' said Dr Raffles. 'I have already been working with Asquith on a comprehensive policy on allergies that nurseries can use and how to manage the rest of the nursery while keeping children safe.
'Asquith prides itself on being inclusive, so if it is has a child with HIV, I will be able to work with that nursery on how to care for the child and not exclude anyone. I have also been working with Asquith on child protection policies.'
Dr Raffles added that he hoped his role would 'stop a lot of scaremongering that goes on'.
He said, 'If a child goes into hospital and is found to have MRSA, I can work with the nursery on how to deal with it.'
Dr Raffles, who has worked as a paediatrician in the NHS for more than 20 years, will also answer health questions from parents on the nursery chain's website.
Asquith's marketing director Chris West said, 'We believe in offering the highest level of childcare at all our nurseries, and that now includes healthcare advice, which we feel is particularly relevant in the present climate.'
