Outcomes in paediatrics and child health

Health care strives to make a positive impact on patient's health. Historically outputs of health care were used to assess the impact of health care interventions and this article addresses the difference between outputs and outcomes. The NHS, Public Health and Children's Outcome Frameworks are described and a link between the Quality Standards developed by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and the Outcome Frameworks is made. Disease specific outcomes in asthma are described and the development of patient related outcome measures and patient related experience measures shows how these can bring the views of children and their families into service transformation. Some of the remaining methodological issues with outcome measures are described, as there is more to do to make these truly effective.