Guidance

NCMP practice example, Manchester: online access to childrens' results

Published 3 November 2014

A digital approach to sharing National Child Measurement Programme results with parents

Contact: Sarah Vince-Cain, Community Dietitian, Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Location: Manchester, Greater Manchester

1. Aim

To provide, via an online system, individual National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) results and supporting information to parents of all children measured as part of the programme, to support parents’ understanding of their child’s weight status and raise awareness of the local support services available to them, in a positive, sensitive and consistent manner.

2. Organisations involved

Manchester City Council commissions the Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s school health team to deliver the NCMP. The online system that is used to provide NCMP results to parents was developed and is led by the Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s informatics team. It is part funded by Public Health Manchester.

3. Activity

Until 2013, Manchester provided NCMP results to parents on a request only basis but found that a very small number of parents asked for their child’s measurement information. In 2013, an online system was launched to allow parents to access their child’s NCMP results with a view to increasing the number of parents receiving this information compared to the request only approach.

Before NCMP measurements take place, parents of all children who will be measured are sent a letter with information about the programme and a unique login code for accessing the online system (see the ‘NCMP practice example, Manchester: sample result letter’ attached with this publication). When measurements are taken, they are recorded electronically and sent directly to the Child Health Information System. The data are then processed to allow parents to see their child’s information through the online system.

Children’s weight status is stratified according to body mass index (BMI) centiles and parents are advised whether their child is underweight, a healthy weight, or above the recommended weight for their age and sex. Additionally, the child’s measurements are shown on a BMI centile chart.

The online system includes a BMI centile calculator so that parents can check their child’s result for themselves. The online system also enables parents to access advice and support on achieving a healthy weight for their child, and to provide feedback to inform future development of the website.

The online system lets parents view their child’s result at a time convenient to them. Parents without internet access or who would prefer to speak with a health professional directly are given this option via the pre-measurement letter.

The design of the online system was led by the Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s informatics team, and drew heavily on expertise from health professionals working closely with the parents of young children.

4. Evaluation and outcomes

An evaluation of the online system is planned. This will assess how the system has been received by parents who have used it, the number of parents who have logged on, the children’s weight classifications of those who have logged on, and whether users have gone on to seek further information.

5. Nesta standards of evidence rating

Level 1 (Promising).