First districts go live with the national paediatric early warning system

The paediatric early warning system (PEWS) has now been launched in the majority of paediatric wards in Aotearoa New Zealand.  

This work, in partnership with Te Tāhū Hauora Health Quality & Safety Commission and the Paediatric Society of New Zealand, is keeping tamariki safer in Aotearoa hospitals by helping clinicians to recognise the early signs of clinical deterioration so they can respond quickly.  

Staff from the Children's Ward at Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand Te Pae Hauora o Ruahine o Tararua MidCentral celebrate the launch of the national paediatric early warning system.

Public and private hospitals across Aotearoa are implementing the national paediatric vital signs charts, as part of their PEWS. These combine a standardised approach to the recognition of deterioration with localised escalation pathways.  Asking whether the child’s whānau has any concerns about their clinical condition is integrated into the vital signs assessment.  

Project teams have been working hard to develop their local escalation pathways, engage hospital staff about the changes and run education updates.  

Staff at Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand Whanganui look over one of the revised paediatric vital signs charts that are part of the PEWS.

We look forward to seeing more hospitals launch the national PEWS over the coming months and anticipate that all Te Whatu Ora district hospitals will have implemented it by early 2024.  

A flyer distributed by the team at Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand Te Tai o Poutini West Coast to celebrate the launch of the national paediatric early warning system.

A poster board letting staff at Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand Whanganui know about the launch of PEWS.