UK Kawasaki Disease Steering Group

In writing our UK Strategy for Kawasaki Disease, in March 2016, we set ourselves an ambitious objective to create a UK wide partnership group.  We’re delighted to say that by September 2016 we had created this partnership – the UK Kawasaki Disease Steering Group.

The group comprises key national leaders and influencers who can together act as a catalyst for positive change around Kawasaki Disease – for awareness, for knowledge sharing and to encourage best practice in clinical care across the UK.  Advocacy in all these areas is the remit of our group.

Chaired by Societi (Rachael McCormack), our group also includes key Societi Scientific Advisory Board Members and – critically, the two NHS England Clinical Directors with a focus on Kawasaki Disease.  Steering Group Members are listed below:

  • Rachael McCormack – Societi Foundation Founder (Chair)
  • Professor Simon Kenny – NHS England National Clinical Director – Children, Young People and Transition
  • Professor Nicholas Linker – NHS England National Clinical Director for Heart Disease
  • Professor Robert Tulloh – Bristol Heart Institute
  • Professor Paul Brogan – Great Ormond Street Hospital
  • Professor Mike Levin – St Mary’s Hospital, London
  • Professor Despina Eleftheriou – Great Ormond Street Hospital
  • Dr Jethro Herberg – St Mary’s Hospital, London

The medical experts which sit on the Steering Group are well recognised as the leading experts in the UK on Kawasaki Disease.

Steering Group Focus Areas

As a group we act as the UK advocates for Kawasaki Disease, with a specific focus on:

  • Raising awareness – both across the general public and the medical community
  • Knowledge sharing – building and effectively sharing knowledge about Kawasaki Disease
  • Encouraging and enabling best practice in clinical care across the UK

Key Outcomes

The Steering Group is relatively new but already we have had a significant impact. Together, key priorities for Kawasaki Disease have been identified with the endorsement of the Societi Foundation UK Strategy for Kawasaki Disease. Routes through which to share information about Kawasaki Disease across the medical community have been established, close working with the Royal College of Paediatricians and Child Health is now in place – and a writing group developed updated national guidance for Kawasaki Disease care – including recommended lifetime care needs.

There are many more opportunities to be capitalised on by working together and we will continue our work!