A SCHEME aimed at providing better healthcare for children has been launched.

Queen Mary's Hospital, Sidcup, is taking part in the Patient Accelerating Change programme, aimed at improving the quality and range of healthcare within the NHS by listening to patients' views.

Queen Mary's will be the only NHS trust in the country which is concentrating only on children's care.

Under the Kids Improving Paediatric Services (KIPS) scheme, children and their families will provide feedback and information which hospital staff will use to improve services.

The Queen Mary's scheme will also use local school children and is being supported by Charlton Athletic FC whose footballers attended the launch of the scheme on Monday.